Operation Orpheus
by MonDieu666
Summary: "Reconnaissance team four checking in. We've had encounters with the infected or spooks as they've been coded. No casualties. No signs of survivors yet. Recon four out." Daryl has always been judged at face value and written off by people but he'd never considered he was guilty of the same sins. Experience has taught him to be wary of all strangers even if they're offering help.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Normally I wait for the end of chapter to do an author note but I thought I would just take a second to do some disclaimers and set some boundaries for the story so everyone knows what they are getting. I am not a Caryl shipper, in fact I was emphatically opposed to it until season three and now I'm open to persuading – but not quite there yet. I started writing this story before the return of season three so I've got some points where I deviate and will be trying to weave any major necessary factors into my story. I know 99.9 percent of women who are fans love Daryl and so I imagine people are quite picky about the OC's we see him with (cos we all secretly want it to be us, you know it's true). I've resisted writing my own OC character for that reason but this story just kept floating around in my head. I'm going to try and keep him in character and just ask that you keep an open mind. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Mindless, rude and cruel flames will be ignored and, if I'm honest, probably deleted. There are some racism themes in this story as it is reflective of some issues raised in TWD and it in NO way reflects my opinions. **

_Present day, Georgia _

In that minute everything slowed. Rick's vision sharpened and the noises of the world were drowned out by a detached pounding in his head.

There was a herd of walkers between his group and the prison. The Governor and his men were at their back. Rick pushed that familiar rush of despair back to the pit of his stomach where it belonged.

They had been holding the prison against the dead and through skirmishes. Necessity had driven them out and Rick had that unsettling sense that it was all his fault. Judith needed food and Rick felt unconscionable letting anyone risk themselves. He had volunteers regardless. Michonne held a basket filled with baby formula, her face was blank but her eyes reflected the grim situation.

Daryl's nervous energy kept him shifting from foot to foot, his face as determined at the others. "Fuck," he drawled softly. Him and Merle had gone their separate ways. In a moment of clarity Daryl had walked away from his brother and back to his family. The guilt gnawed at him and he could still see Merle's face as he had turned his back on the person he had been.

Rick didn't need to explain to his two warriors the direness of the situation. He ran the back of his hand across his forehead, stopping the sweat from stinging his eyes.

"We could go round?" Risk suggested without preamble.

Daryl flicked his eyes behind him. "Ain't got time."

Michonne didn't even look behind. She kept her eyes forward and said, "He's right."

Risk rubbed his hand over his mouth and looked up at the sky hoping for answers. He took thirty seconds to fortify himself, thirty seconds he couldn't really spare.

He knew what he had to do. He turned his attention to his back up. Daryl Dixon, flawless with his crossbow but wild like he got raised by wolves, and Michonne, deadly with her katana and her intense stare that seemed to border on telepathic. He couldn't imagine two more different people to have behind him but he also couldn't think of anyone he'd rather have standing there.

The pair read his intentions plain on his face.

Daryl groaned, "Aw shit." Michonne's only reaction was a tighter grip on the katana.

"We move fast and get t'the safety of the prison." There was nothing more for Rick to say. It was likely this was a suicide mission. Rick said a silent prayer for Carl though he wasn't sure there was anyone listening up there anymore.

The three of them ran low, hoping the walkers would take a while to notice them. They were spaced out and not paying the prison much mind yet. Rick ran with his hand on the hilt of his knife. He would save his gun until he absolutely had to; he hoped to draw as little attention as possible.

The first walker, a decayed woman, spotted Rick and lurched towards him, teeth gnashing in anticipation. There was a whistle past his ear and an arrow burst into her head like a rotten melon.

Rick was glad that Daryl was an expert shot. Daryl may not be the hot head he first met but he still made risky decisions.

Rick paused to drive a knife through the skull of another walker. Daryl snatched the arrow out of the woman's head as he passed.

Michonne cleaved one walker clear in half before driving the sword hard between its eyes.

Rick took a moment to look around and cursed. The walkers were closing in, doubling back at the promise of a fresh meal. Rick, Michonne and Daryl ended up back to back. Daryl had slung his crossbow over his back, leaving his hands free to use a blade.

They were losing ground; the group of walkers were thick around them. Rick's heart stopped beating. This was how it was going to end. He was going to leave Carl an orphan.

Daryl was swearing behind him, matching every curse word to a swing of his knife. Michonne was still efficiently disposing of the walkers but their numbers were going to overwhelm them eventually.

Rick could see the end of his fight and after Lori had died he expected to almost feel relieved. He felt the exact opposite. He felt frantic to get back to Carl, even to Judith who he had been avoiding until now. He felt an obligation to get these two people behind him back to the prison. He felt himself failing.

Just as Rick felt his last flare of hope fading in the hopelessness of the situation he heard the blare of a siren from the hill on the right. The walkers not immediately within chewing distances raised their heads towards the sound like jackals scenting the air. The dead on the edge of the pack made towards the sound, dragging their twisted feet faster than usual towards the sound.

The press of the dead lessened and they had room to breathe. They took advantage of the space to fight back, to clear an area around them, to pause long enough to take stock of the situation. Rick turned to look in the direction of the sound, expecting to see the Governor and the cavalry bearing down on them.

Rick initially thought it was another hallucination, five black figures striding in formation toward the herd of oncoming walkers. God knows he'd seen enough things that weren't there.

The illusion was shattered when the first three of the group raised bows bigger and more powerful than Daryl's and let loose a volley into the dead. To Rick it felt like they loosed a hundred arrows but in reality it was closer to three apiece before the dead were too close.

In almost seamless unison the two behind stepped forward. They both drew swords almost identical to Michonne's and started carving a path through the walkers. The way they moved it was like a dance, each movement complimenting each other. Rick had never seen such a well organised attack executed on the walkers.

A harsh grunt redirected Rick's attention. A walker had slipped its grasping fingers around Daryl's throat. Daryl just managed to slam his knife up through the walkers chin into its brain. Rick realised that Michonne and Daryl had been keeping the walkers away from him while he stared.

The exhaustion showed on their faces and Rick wasn't sure they had any awareness of the situation beyond their dogged fight for survival.

Rick threw himself back into the moment, taking up his share of the slaughter. The black figures would have to wait for now.

Daryl had gore splattered up to his elbows as he annihilated his groaning opponents. His expression as focused as his temper.

The noticeable lessening of the herd gave Michonne new energy. Her sword cut through them with renewed speed. Her face was a stoic mask.

A walker grabbed Rick's shoulders abruptly, jerking him back. The teeth would have sunk into the soft skin of his neck if it wasn't for an arrow for the second time in half an hour. This one wasn't Daryl's though. The black figures were now so close that Rick could tell they were wearing protective clothing, it might have been Kevlar – it was too hard to tell. They wore black helmets that concealed their faces. Walkers reached out for the figures but they were batted away almost effortlessly. They still kept a tight formation.

One walker tried to seize one of the figures, her broken rotten fingers skating over whatever they were wearing. The figure slammed their head forward in a vicious head butt that left a smear of blood on the visor. The walker staggered and was disposed by a swift stab in the temple.

The figure at the front gently pushed the head butter back. It wasn't a strong gesture of reproach but clearly head butting wasn't approved.

There were only a few staggering monsters now, the field was littered with bodies and the air was putrid with decay.

The two figures with the swords spun away and put them out of their misery with a grace that did not seem fitting in this hell. They were completely in sync with each other, as if they could sense at all times where their partner was.

The black figures fanned out, ignoring Rick and the others except for one. The one standing in front of them of them was the second largest as far as Rick could tell. Now that they were closer he could see that one of the figures inspecting bodies was very tall and very broad. Rick shifted his attention to the one right in front of him. There was a gun seated casually in their hands. Not exactly in a threatening way but it didn't give Rick much comfort. These people were a veritable Swiss army knife of weapons.

Rick, Daryl and Michonne stood side by side, cautiously waiting. Rick took stock of his team. Both seemed unhurt but he could sense the fatigue running through the pair of them. It had been a long day of no food and no water on top of a battle for their lives.

Daryl swayed visibly on his feet. Out of nowhere one of the figures was behind him, a steadying hand at his elbow. It was the one with the blood spatter on the helmet.

Daryl shoved them away, his stand defensive. Rick hoped Daryl could keep a hold on his temper long enough and didn't react in his typical cornered-animal way.

Rick heard the figure curse, the first time he had heard any of them speak. They seemed to communicate silently.

The helmet came jerking off and a brunette ponytail fell out. "What was that for? I was trying to help!"

Rick didn't know what he had been expecting but this disgruntled young woman wasn't it. Daryl couldn't have looked more surprised if it turned out she was a unicorn.

The figure in front of Rick sighed and took off his helmet. "That's enough, Corporal." He was a tall man and solidly built his skin dark with an ethnicity Rick couldn't identify.

The woman looked suitably chastised but she shot a glare at Daryl all the same. The other three figures returned.

One by one they removed their helmets and said "all clear" to the big man. It was clear he was the leader. Their accent wasn't American. There were two women and three men total. The men had all switched to guns but the women still had their swords out, pointed at the ground.

"Corporal?" Rick questioned.

The big man stepped forward with his hand out stretched. "Sergeant Nathan Nodea, Australian Army, at your service."

Rick couldn't believe his ears. These people were foreigners and had come from outside the country. "The world fell! We heard the world fell too," he insisted.

"I'm here to tell you different."

Rick took the man's hand, shaking it slowly. "You and your people saved us, Sergeant."

"Nathan's fine. No need to stand on ceremony. I hear the world ended after all," Nathan said with a smile.

"Rick."

"Well Rick, let me introduce my Corporals." Nathan gestured his people forward and Rick was struck by how clean they looked. Especially compared to him and his. Daryl especially had weeks of forest hunting all over him.

The one Daryl had shoved, shifted her helmet under her arm, freeing a hand to offer to Rick. "Corporal Mara Slater. Call me Mara." After Rick shook her hand she offered it to Michonne and then, with a slight hesitation, Daryl. Daryl took her hand gingerly, clearly a little embarrassed knowing he shoved a girl.

The other woman was of Asian descent. "Christine Bui," she said simply, in an accent identical to Mara's, leaving off her corporal title. She didn't offer her hand. She gave the survivors a cursory glance before turning her attention to the forest surrounding them. Unlike Mara her sword wasn't hanging loosely toward the ground, it was still poised in case of any threats.

If Christine was distant then the next Corporal was the exact opposite. "Yussuf Mlela." He held out his hand with a big grin, his teeth startling white against his dark complexion.

This time Daryl hesitated for just an instant before taking his hand. If Yussuf noticed that pause he didn't show it, greeting Daryl with the same friendliness he showed Rick and Michonne. For the first time Rick saw a ripple of emotion through the group. Mara gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head, an amused smile on her face.

The final member of the group was the giant Rick had noticed before.

"Corporal Elias Switch." He spoke softly and politely.

Rick supposed they didn't pose them any threat. At least not yet. The magnitude of the situation washed over Rick and the relief he felt almost floored him. He looked at the bodies piled around him and realised he'd become desensitised to these walking horror films.

He also realised how many of the bodies the Australian's had killed. He had never seen such a large group of walkers dispatched like that.

The Australians were looking around too. Not with the same sense of gravity that Rick was though.

Yussuf eyed the bodies with a grin. "'Strayla style."

_One hour earlier_, _Georgia_

Mara was leaning against a tree, not the most professional position for a corporal but she was struggling in the heat. She had not expected that. She was from Australia for god's sake. But this heat was different, foreign even. Narrowing her eye she looked down at Yussuf squatting in the dirt. He was mouthing something.

"What are you doing, Yussuf?" Mara asked from her post against the tree.

Yussuf's lips stopped moving silently and he squinted up at her with a smile. "Praying."

Mara pushed herself away from the tree with a raised eyebrow. "I've known you for a year; I've never seen you pray once."

Yussuf shrugged. "About to wade into a group of spooks seems about time to pray."

Mara couldn't argue with that kind of logic.

Elias looked up from a map that he was examining with his sergeant. "Who are you praying to? Allah?"

"You're so cute when you try and understand my religion."

"Please, you're as secular as they come," Elias scoffed. Elias was the strong and silent type but Yussuf could coax repartee out of anyone.

"I like to keep my options open," Yussuf replied with a laugh. Elias shook his head but smiled all the same. Nathan's attention hadn't been diverted from the map. It would take more than the banter from his team to distract him.

"You sure we have to go through that prison, Sarge?" Mara asked. She was less than impressed with the idea now that they had spotted that flock of spooks. Not even moving fast; just kinda grazing like dumb rotting cows.

Nathan nodded wordlessly. "I'd feel better if we could scope it out in advance but I don't like separating the group just yet."

"Guys!" A voice from above got their attention.

Nathan walked to the base of a particular tree. "Christine?"

"You see something, my little tree monkey?" Yussuf asked.

"If you were all paying attention instead of chatting, you'd see what I see." A pair of binoculars dropped down into Nathan's hand.

Mara could barely see her friend and colleague, obscured by the branches.

"People." Nathan said simply. Not a man of many words.

"People people?" Mara asked, swinging her sights towards the spooks. She couldn't see anything for a second then she saw people moving low to the ground, towards the herd.

"Fuck!" Mara whirled away to find her helmet. Lucky they were already suited up. These were the first people they had seen since they touched down in America a week ago and separated from base camp.

The rest of the team followed her lead. As they headed to the crest of the hill they saw the first arrow nail the spook.

"Good aim," Elias noted casually, not at all like they were about to head into battle.

"Better than Mara's anyway," Yussuf added, testing his bow quickly.

Nathan could see the tiny group was about to be over run. "Move fast, stay tight."

"Oh captain, my captain," Mara muttered under her breath at the less than rallying speech from her sergeant.

Christine heard her comment and the edges of her lips barely quirked in a smile as she pulled her own helmet down. Christine was Mara's best friend. When they had both shown an affinity with a sword they had been put together as training partners and despite their different personalities they had developed a closeness.

Yussuf clapped her on the shoulder as he walked by her. And then there were some people in the group that had just worn her down until she had grudgingly let them into her affections.

The men were the archers of the group and they created a formation with them at the front and Christina and Mara bringing up the rear. The boys had the muscles to send the arrows further than Christine or Mara ever could. Mara had also done pretty poorly in archery lessons.

Mara looked down at the spooks and felt excited. The standard issue uniform was impervious to the snarling mouths of the walkers. It gave her a strong feeling of invincibility. She could tell the rest of her group felt the same way to some degree or another.

Nathan slipped on his helmet. They were mobilising. As Elias blasted the horn to get the spooks attention, Mara smiled.

Daryl wasn't rightly sure how he felt about this new group. They were military which sure was useful but the way the world was these days he didn't know how much he could trust these strangers. With their own army over run he supposed his country was just ripe for the claiming.

He narrowed his eyes at their backs as they walked in front of him talking to Rick. They didn't look much like an invading force to him. They didn't even look like tried and tested soldiers, except maybe the Sergeant.

Daryl was bringing up the rear, and kept darting suspicious looks over his shoulder at the forest. Could be the Governor had seen the herd, taken them for dead and gone back to the comfort of Woodbury. Daryl had a hard time imagining that though. Any man smart enough to earn Merle's allegiance was someone Daryl was cautious of. Probably he was just out there, biding his time and plotting his revenge.

The young brunette he had shoved, Mara, turned to check their rear and managed to catch his eye. The look she gave him wasn't hostile but it was pretty reproachful. The Asian one had also shot him a pretty cold, calculating look or two. Daryl ignored it. He was never that popular with women straight up. He struggled to moderate his way with words and usually ended up pissing them off or offending them whether that was his intention or not.

The one who bothered him most was that Yussuf guy. And it wasn't because he was an Arab neither. Daryl was the first to admit that he had held some prejudices before the entire world had gone to shit but after a year fighting to survive he had come to the conclusion it didn't matter none whether a person was white, black, purple or whatever the hell Yussuf was.

No, what bothered him was that inane grin. No one with a full grasp of the situation grinned like that. He was indiscriminately cheerful, talking to Daryl the same way he talked to his Sergeant or to Elias.

Normally people wrote him off as a red neck and fair enough, he looked the part and often spoke the talk. Yussuf seemed totally oblivious to how he was supposed to react and what everyone's place in the world was. Guess it was nothing to be afraid of but he did find it disconcerting.

Mara snuck another wary look over her shoulder. There it was though. The disdain he'd been seeing every day of his life since he was old enough to look for it. Mara wasn't even American and she knew how to spot hillbilly.

The prison was up ahead and Daryl felt a rush of affection for the place 'cause it felt like coming home. It had nothing to do with the filthy cells or the reeking walls of that trap. It was the people inside. Hershel, Maggie, Glenn, Carol, Beth and Carl. He wanted to see Ass-Kicker again. He called her Judith in front of Rick though he didn't seem to pay her much mind anyway. She was the first baby he had seen up close, that anyone had let him near before now.

Carl and Carol were at the gates waiting, the faces displaying all the shock Daryl's face probably had when the soldiers had appeared.

He had to admit that when they first showed up, with his brain and body overwrought with fatigue and death nipping at his heels, he thought they were angels. Or maybe reapers was the more accurate term.

Carl had seen Rick and was hollering for his dad and a few walkers loomed closer to investigate the movement and sound. They didn't get a chance to sample any of the living at that moment. The gate slid open and shut before any of them had managed to take any more than a few lumbering steps.

The Australians began examining their surroundings immediately and Daryl realised he had underestimated their training due to their informality. Shit, what did he know? Maybe at the end of the world there was less stress on regiment.

Carl was enveloped in a hug from Rick. Carol grabbed Daryl's face between both hands and inspected him frantically for injuries. The sun was dipping below the horizon and they'd been gone longer expected.

Daryl blushed from the attention though he couldn't deny that the fact someone cared that much about his well being was a pleasant changed.

Still he brushed off her hands gently. "Quit fussin', woman," he mumbled. Satisfied to see that Daryl was being Daryl, Carol glanced at Michonne and nodded. No one felt comfortable invading Michonne's personal space yet. Lucky her, Daryl thought.

Forgotten in the initial rush of relief and greetings the Australians were soon back in the spot light.

"Why don't you come inside and meet everyone. I imagine you have quite a story to tell."

Daryl kept his expression mild but he registered some shock. Rick had been a detached prickly bastard since Hershel's farm had been overrun and he'd been forced to kill Shane. It'd only gotten worse sine Lori died. He hadn't taken kindly to strangers since. It was a miracle that he had let Michonne in and that was from sheer force of usefulness. She could be a sullen bitch sometimes but damn she was deadly with that sword. It was another miracle to see him invite the Australians in so quickly.

Daryl guessed it was the cop in him. Some part of him still respected authority in the grander scheme of things. Daryl had been on the wrong side of the law enough times that he was wary of the so called 'man.'

Nathan looked up at the prison before glancing behind him in to the forest one more time. "I imagine we do." He gestured with his hand to get Rick to lead on. Daryl turned fully to look into the forest. He didn't know what the Australians expected to see riding out if its depths. If walkers weren't enough to make them bat an eyelid then he didn't know what was making them all skittish. Probable he didn't want to know either.

**AN2: Couldn't mention this earlier because it was kind of a spoiler but this is based on a theory my housemate and I have that Australia quite possibly could have avoided the outbreak. I am Australian (yes, I ship my own country) but I'm going to try and create clear, distinctive voices for the two nationalities. **

**MD666**


	2. Chapter 2

_One year three months ago_, _Sydney_

"I think you're over reacting, Mara."

Mara looked up from the newspaper to glare at Eric. "It's all here in the news."

"It's exaggerated. They just want to sell the rag." Eric grabbed her hand, rubbing his thumb around her palm soothing her.

Mara looked unconvinced.

Eric sighed at the sceptical expression on his girlfriends face. "If it was that bad in that many places, would we be sitting here drinking coffee at a university cafe?"

Mara realised he had a good point. They were safe here in this pokey little cafe that only students visited.

But she couldn't ignore the unease in her stomach. There was less and less international news on the TV and the local news was tracking the Australian military. Things were out of stock in supermarkets. Petrol prices were going through the roof. Something bad was happening to the world. The signs were there, you just had to put them together.

Out of the corner of her eye Mara saw the something flash across the muted TV. The script at the bottom of the screen said breaking news. The Prime Minister was talking. A nervous thrum filled her body.

"Hey, can you please turn the volume up?" Mara called to the waitress.

As the sound of the TV filled the room, every person was silent and all their attention was fixated on what was being said.

Mara, who had feared the worst, hadn't been paranoid enough. America had fallen, England had fallen, in fact most of Europe and North America had succumbed to the outbreak. How had this been covered up from the public? This wasn't just a state of emergency; this was a complete systems failure of civilisation. Australia was in a state of emergency and military law was now in effect. Quarantine had been implemented and no one was getting in and out of the country any more.

Eric was still holding her hand but Mara didn't find much comfort in it now. Eric had the tendency to stick his head in the sand and ignore a crisis until it had passed him by. It was one of his worst qualities.

The Government was also calling for country wide enlistment for the army.

In the following months the rest of Europe fell, Africa and the South America's didn't hold out much longer.

When they discovered the first spook on a ship, Mara signed on to the army. They were looking for volunteers for Operation Orpheus.

She was just nineteen.

_Present Day, Georgia_

The Australians followed Rick in to the bowels of the prison. It stunk worse inside the tight corridors than it had outside, though Mara had more or less gotten used to the constant stench of death. Nathan didn't have to say anything; his eyes gave them their orders. Stay tight, stay focused.

Her first spook had caused a little bit of retching that thankfully only Christine had seen.

No picture could prepare her for the real thing, gurgling its rank breath in her face before she had taken the top of its head off. It was the first time she had killed anything bigger than a mosquito. She felt surreally detached from the moment. Mara just couldn't see any person left inside the snapping creature.

The group seemed comfortable here though. The one up the front, Daryl she remembered him muttering when they were introduced, had lowered his crossbow and was striding fast. Mara hadn't been impressed with his social skills yet but to be fair the other two didn't have many social graces left either. Mara couldn't blame them, now that she saw the conditions they were living in. They walked into an area that was lighter than the rest of the prison. They were greeted by an older one legged man.

"Who are these people?" he asked Daryl.

"Heck, I barely know. Ask them." He jerked his thumb behind him as if there was any question about who 'them' was. Yussuf grimaced and Elias arched an eyebrow. Not so much for the 'all hail the rescuing force' then.

Nathan stepped forward and introduced himself and the rest of them.

Hershel nodded and turned slightly. "You all may as well come out now, seems safe."

Another gate opened and a pretty young girl walked.

It was what was in the girls arms that grabbed their attention.

"You have a baby?" Christine exclaimed incredulously at the same time Yussuf cooed, "You have a baby!"

Elias shot Yussuf a disbelieving look. "I knew you were a woman."

Mara studied the petite blonde. She looked barely eighteen. "Yours?"

"No, I just mind her is all." The girl was flustered.

"She's mine," Rick spoke up. He had a haunted look in his eye. If blondy wasn't the mother then where was she? Mara glanced around the group, noting the tense uncomfortable silence. The only one who met her eyes was Daryl and his stare was very clearly saying '_mind ya own fucking business._'

Rick cleared his throat and tried to change the subject. "We didn't see Maggie and Glenn out there."

Hershel looked concerned. "They're supposed to be in the guard tower."

There was a pause and then a communal groan that Mara didn't understand.

"Ain't much guarding going on then," Daryl grunted, "I feel real safe now."

"Are you implying there is a Maggie and a Glenn banging in the guard tower?" Yussuf asked.

"Delicate," Christine said. Nathan was looking at his corporal like he wanted to smack him upside the head.

"A Maggie is my daughter," Hershel said, with a steely glint in his eyes. Daryl sniggered.

The young boy spoke up for the first time, "y'all speak funny. Where are you from?"

"Australia," Mara answered.

"And you?" he asked Christine.

"Australia," Christine answered with a dead pan expression.

"Yay, the south," Yussuf muttered.

"How about you all rest up and eat something then we can hear the full story. We have food to share," Rick offered.

"Thank you for your hospitality but we have our own rations," Nathan said with a mild smile.

Mara watched the group go into the adjoining row of cells. She wasn't surprised that Hershel locked it behind them.

The soldiers moved in closer automatically so they could talk in moderate tones that the group of survivors couldn't hear.

"Trusting lot," Yussuf murmured.

Nathan put a hand of Yussuf's shoulder. "I'm gonna need some gravity from you for the next couple of hours. No smart ass remarks. That's an order. You don't know what these people have been through."

Mara caught the boy look at them once more before vanishing further into the prison. There was something spookily adult in Carl's eyes. It sent a shiver up her spine. Whatever they had seen, it had been bad. Yussuf must have seen it too because he nodded with a solemn look on his face.

"Let's take the opportunity to eat something and rest up," Nathan ordered his corporals. They shared the food out but Mara noticed none of them truly relaxed. No one took off their outer layer of protective fatigues.

Elias and Yussuf set about cleaning the arrows they salvaged from the bodies. Christine and Mara sat next to each other on the floor cleaning the muck of their swords. Neither of them spoke, just kept a stoic silence as they set about the gruesome task.

Maybe two hours passed before the group reappeared at the bars. Rick was the first one through and it was obvious he was the leader.

"I appreciate you rescuing us but now we need some answers." He had his hands on his hips and a grim no nonsense expression. He also looked exhausted and Mara wondered when he'd last gotten any sleep.

"I'll answer any questions you have," Nathan said as the rest of the group fanned out.

"We should get Maggie and Glenn for this. They'll want to hear it," Hershel said.

"I'll get 'em," Carl piped up.

Rick smiled at his boy but shook his head. "I'm not letting you at of my sight for at least a few more hours. Michonne, would you mind?"

"You can't leave the perimeter unwatched," Nathan pointed out. "Christine and Elias can keep watch while we talk."

Rick nodded slowly. He only hesitated a second. He was putting a lot of trust in these strangers. "Michonne, go with them still. Don't want Glenn or Maggie shooting our guests."

A ghost of a smile crossed Michonne's face and Mara was struck by how vicious it was. Of all the survivors that one seemed to have gone the most native.

But Michonne certainly wasn't the only defensive one. Daryl clearly liked her least out of the new group. He stood a little ways off but he had obviously kept a clear line between them and Mara could see his trigger finger twitching even though the crossbow was slung across his body, harmless for now.

It didn't take long for Michonne to return with two people in tow. A young Asian man with suspicious eyes and a pretty woman with a matching mistrust.

"What's going on?" Glenn asked.

"We're about to find out," Hershel answered. "Take a seat, son."

Maggie clasped her father's hand as she walked by but said nothing yet.

Nathan took a seat and spread his hands in a gesture that was both non-threatening and inviting questions. "What do you want to know?"

"How?" The question was out of Rick's lips immediately. His meaning was clear. How had Australia not fallen like every other country?

"Geography mostly," Nathan said.

"Geography?" Daryl scoffed. He took a threatening step forward almost unconsciously.

Rick held out a pacifying hand. "Australia is an island."

A flash of sheepishness passed over Daryl's face before he was all bravado again. "Shit, I knew that."

"We saw the signs early and shut down all the ports and airports," Nathan continued, ignoring Daryl's outburst and not making any comment on the fact he mostly likely hadn't known Australia was an island.

"Australia has the second largest desert in the world. We evacuated most of the cities' populations inland. It's pretty inhospitable and was never going to be a long term solution but we got them out there just in case."

Rick opened his mouth then stopped. He was over whelmed by what he was hearing. "Are there any others?" he choked out.

"Far as we know only Iceland," Yussuf spoke up.

"Iceland?" Beth asked. "I always wanted to visit Iceland." She said the last part softly, almost to herself. From his expression it was clear Hershel had no idea his youngest daughter was harbouring a desire to visit Iceland.

"So what's happening? Why y'here?" Daryl demanded.

Nathan fixed him with a stare. It said, _you get a free pass for rudeness and ignorance because of your trouble but only to a certain extent_. Mara hoped her smirk added, _that's right, red neck!_

Daryl just squared his shoulders. It would take more than dirty looks to unsettle him.

"_We're_ here for reconnaissance. You're looking at Recon team four of Operation Orpheus. It took us a while to organise our people but we held nationwide enlistments, asking for volunteers. Now we're here we're looking for survivors. Seeing if we can salvage the situation and if not, we organise an evacuation."

"Orpheus?" Glenn asked.

"Greek mythology," Mara explained. "Orpheus went into Hades to rescues his dead wife."

"How many reconnaissance teams are there?" Hershel asked.

Nathan exchanged an imperceptible glance with Mara. Yussuf's grimace was harder to conceal.

"There are fifty teams," Nathan said slowly.

"In Georgia?" Glenn pressed.

Mara looked straight at Rick when she answered. "In the United States."

"What!" exclaimed Daryl. The others expressed similar outrage and shock. "The five of you for a whole state? That's bullshit! Do you know how big this state is?"

"59, 425 square miles," Yussuf answered automatically. "Has a population of approximately ten million. Had." Yussuf's voice trailed off into the silence. He shifted uncomfortably.

"The nation of Australia has a lot of allies. We had leaders for a dozen different nations evacuated to our country all with requests to help their home. We're stretched pretty thin," Nathan explained.

"We're doing the best we can," Mara said quietly. Daryl shot her another hostile look but Mara could see something else under the anger. Panic.

"What took you so long to get here?" Beth asked quietly. She didn't look at the Australians when she spoke and there was no real hint of reproach in her voice.

"It took us a year to train our soldiers up to excellence. We couldn't risk sending cannon fodder. That would of done nobody any good," Nathan answered her gently.

"You're the first people we've seen since we got here," Yussuf said.

"So what happens now?" Rick asked. He seemed to be processing this faster than the others.

Nathan shrugged. "We talk some more, learn more about the situation. See how you feel about the situation. We're not an invading force and we're not going to make you do anything you don't want to."

Rick nodded. "I need to take some time to think. We need to get patrols back out into the forest."

"Why not just stick to the perimeter?" Mara was confused. "Surely that's safer."

This time Rick swapped glances with his group. "Walkers aren't the only thing to be wary of in these times."

"You'll have to brief me when you're ready," Nathan said slowly. "My corporals will help out and take patrols."

"I'd rather pair you're people with mine. No offense but I don't entirely trust you yet and I wanna make sure you're not sneaking off to communicate with god knows who. We can't risk anyone coming down on this prison." Rick spoke more confidently. There was the leader who had kept his people safe for this long.

Mara arched an eyebrow at Yussuf. He'd had a point about them not being very trusting.

"I think that would be agreeable to my team." Nathan didn't actually think his team would be thrilled at the idea of partnering up with this group of survivors but he didn't care. He was in charge. Mara and Yussuf both knew better than to open their mouths.

"Are all your people proficient with bows?" Rick asked. "I'd like to limit gun use if we can. Don't need to draw any more attention than necessary and we're hoping to make the ammo last."

Mara winced and Yussuf's face cracked into a wide grin. She was awful with a bow.

"Mara focused on the sword during training," Nathan said tactfully.

"Daryl, you mind partnering with Mara?" Rick asked. It was a question in the same way that Nathan asked his corporals questions. It was just an order phrased politely.

Daryl had a hundred protests on his lips but he stifled them and gave a stiff nod. Mara sighed and tried to wrangle up a civilised expression but it probably more resembled a scowl. Daryl turned on his heels and disappeared into the prisons muttering as he went.

It looked like this meeting was over for today.

**AN: Another chapter. Yes I'm going to post three at once so you get an idea of the tone of the story. Yussuf and Christine have characteristics that I've stolen from people I know. My friend has a Vietnamese heritage and it was funny watching people's faces overseas when she'd say she was Australian, with our raging ocker accent. Also my combinations of soliders aren't reflective or an accurate portrayal of the Australian military, I do go into why they are all corporals with the exception of Nathan. Please review and let me know what you think. Reviews equal motivation. **


	3. Chapter 3

_Two years ago, Sydney_

Christine held her boyfriends hand over the table. Tony was buzzing with energy, smiling from ear to ear. His raw enthusiasm brought a smile to Christine's face even when she was in the worst of moods.

But this night was perfect. They were at a beautiful restaurant in the harbour and Tony obviously had something he wanted to tell her.

"You may as well spit it out," Christine nudged him along.

Tony only looked surprised for a few seconds before the smile returned. He couldn't keep a secret for very long and Christine was more astute than most.

"I got it!"

Christine gasped. "The scholarship?"

"Mmhmm," Tony nodded.

"Babe, I am so happy for you." Christine lent across the table to kiss him. Tony had applied for a basketball scholarship to train in the United States. The competition had been fierce but her man had wanted it more than the others.

"When do you leave?" Christine asked. Her happiness began to war with a sense of melancholy. The scholarship was for three years, he'd be studying at university at the same time. He'd be on the other side of the world.

Sensing her mood, Tony tightened his grip on her hand. "I leave in three months but you know I'll come visit you and you can visit me and there's skype." He dropped his volume, "And cyber sex."

Christine rolled her eyes.

"I want you to know how serious I am about keeping you in my life so I got you a little something." Tony pulled out a little black box and put it on the table. Christine's heart stopped.

"Christine, I love you and want you to be my wife."

Christine had to swallow before she could answer but her pause didn't worry Tony. He was looking at Christine, so sure in his love for her.

"Yes." It was hoarse so Christine said it again, stronger and clearer. "Yes."

Tony seized her up in an embrace that knocked the salt and pepper shaker from the table.

Christine couldn't imagine anything more perfect.

_Present day, Georgia_

Daryl walked out in the field searching for his new training buddy. Mara was leaning against the inner fence with Christine. She had an eye on the walkers which were snapping at the outside wire as if sheer force of will would get them through to the live bodies.

Christine was squinting up at the sky, looking completely unconcerned with the dead so close by. Was there nothing that rattled this group of Australians? They were so casual about everything.

He strode up to the two women. "Well you wanna stand around talkin' all day or you wanna get this done?"

"Hello to you too, Daryl." Christine's tone was sarcastic and Daryl ignored her.

"Well let's go!" he snapped, deciding he really didn't need Mara's answer. He wanted this day over with. He could see the chagrin on Mara's face.

"Alright, alright," Mara threw her hands up in the air. She was already wearing the strange black suit that apparently protected them against biters. The Sergeant had offered Daryl one to use today but Daryl had shrugged off the offer. He didn't need nothing restricting his movements when he was tracking through the forest.

"Have fun playing the hills have eyes," Christine said as a farewell. Daryl felt his anger roused at the implication that he was nothing more than a red neck.

They were let out of the gate and disposed of the walkers that were paying them attention. Most were distracted by the hollering from Carl and Glenn further on.

"So what's the plan today?"

Daryl was pleased she kept her voice low. Nothing worse than a chatty patrol mate excepting maybe a loud one.

"See if anyone has been hangin' round these parts. Maybe get some game if I can find it." Daryl bent down to get a closer look at the ground.

"You do a lot of hunting before?" Mara asked. There was no need to elaborate on what 'before' meant.

Daryl looked up at Mara and found her standing over his shoulder as if she was trying to see what he could see. She wasn't wearing her helmet and he could see that she was looking at him with interest for the first time.

"Some. Now shut up. This is quiet work."

Mara's expression darkened and she took a step back hands raised. _Ok, I'll be quiet, also fuck you to hell_. That's what her expression said. Daryl was a master at reading pissed off women.

Daryl put all thoughts of the glower that was currently burning into his back out of his mind and slipped into a mindset where he could take in all the details and sounds of the surrounding area. Daryl was realistic about his skill set and he knew that while he couldn't make appropriate small talk to save his life he was one of the best hunters out there. Maybe even the best now that the competition had been thinned some.

The area seemed clear. No walkers, no people recently. He could pick out some faded tracks that he knew belonged to his group. He moved low to the ground and quietly. It was only when he felt a twinge in his lower back that he straightened up properly and stretched.

"Looks clear," he told Mara, who had been trailing along quietly.

"Well you were very thorough." Her tone was dry.

He tilted his head at her, confused. Was she being sarcastic again?

"We've been out here for three hours," Mara explained.

"Bullshit!"

Mara's lips quirked like she might have smiled. She settled for a nod. "Three hours, look at the sun."

Daryl narrowed his eyes as if she might have been exaggerating but the sun showed clear progress.

"You're really in to this, aren't you?"

Daryl's shoulders tensed. He was prepared with a defensive response but Mara's expression was neutral. Seemed the question was sincere.

Daryl shrugged awkwardly. "Yeah, I used to like hunting. You know, before." He said 'before' the same way Mara did. Daryl didn't feel comfortable talking about himself.

The conversation trailed off and while Daryl hadn't noticed the silence earlier when he was tracking, it felt uncomfortable now, like he should break it.

"So how come you failed arrow shootin' one-oh-one?" He leaned against a tree. There was nothing about, may as well take a quick break. He though he saw a hint of a blush in her cheeks.

"I have a sight deficiency."

Daryl had kept on scanning the terrain but he spun his head round to look at her, as if expecting that she had gone blind or something in that few seconds. She hadn't. She was looking at him like he was an idiot.

"A sight deficiency?" Well that sounded like a made up diagnosis. Great! They'd gone and saddled him with the cripple. Was she gonna start running into trees when it got dark? Was he gonna have to drag her back by her ankles when she knocked herself out?

"You're gonna have to elaborate on that to put my mind at ease."

"It's nothing. It was a problem when I was young but I'd forgotten about it until I joined the army."

"I'm still not hearin' a lotta what _it_ is," Daryl prompted.

Mara sighed and Daryl could tell that him poking at the issue was cracking her composure. "When I was a little girl I couldn't track things with my eyes. When things were moving I struggled to follow them. I grew out of it mostly but there are still some left over side effects. I struggle with right and left for example."

"And they gave you a sword?" Daryl was incredulous.

"I mean in the moment my brain just reacts so I'm fine with a sword and hand to hand. I'm really good with those two." She looked at him pointedly.

Daryl got the thinly veiled threat to kick his ass if he didn't stop prying.

"What about guns?"

Mara shrugged, "I'm ok with guns. It's just something about aiming an arrow that throws me off."

Daryl's brow was furrowed as he considered what he was being told. "I didn't think you'd be allowed in the army with conditions like that?"

"Normally I wouldn't. Extenuating circumstances remember. Not a lot of people lining up to fight spooks and rescue you hillbillies."

That comment made Daryl pause on the cusp of some snarky comment. This was it, this was his rescue party. Uncoordinated Mara and sullen Christine and insane Yussuf. They were the only ones they got to save them?

"So you guys are the cavalry huh?" he knew that some disappointment had leaked into his voice. He was surprised when Mara looked a little hurt and even more taken aback when he felt an instant twinge of guilt.

Whatever their defects, or 'deficiencies,' they had volunteered to come half way round the world to the middle of nowhere to save complete strangers. Somehow, with the battle clothes and the weapons he'd over looked the fact that Mara was just a young woman. He liked her just slightly better now he knew that she couldn't tell her left and right apart. Made her less intimidating and took the sting out of her snobby stare.

Mara was actually looking apologetic. "People were scared. There was an emphasis for a long time on looking after our own."

"Why did you volunteer?" Daryl asked in a more level tone.

"We all had our reasons," Mara said cryptically.

Daryl, dissatisfied with that answer, opened his mouth with the intention of badgering her. A twig snapping and the sound of scuffling leaves shut him up and put him to attention. Without thinking he grabbed Mara's wrist and pulled her closer so the tree was shielding both of them to some extent.

He lifted a finger to his mouth to tell her to be silent. Mara's face was already focused and her lips were pressed together in a tight line. By the sound of the dragging feet, Daryl knew it was a walker and not a human.

After listening closely, trying to tune out the sound of Mara's breath in his ear, he reassessed the situation. More than one, maybe as many as five.

He turned to Mara and raised his eyebrow in a significant way. She slid her sword out soundlessly. They were slightly down hill of the walkers and Daryl wished he'd had the time to loop behind them. He should know better than to gossip when there was work to be done.

When the first one came lumbering in to sight, Daryl raised his crossbow. "C'mon you ugly bastard," Daryl murmured as he sighted down the length of the crossbow. As soon as he had a clear shot he let the arrow fly and it the target cleanly.

"No sight deficiency for me."

"Really?" Mara hissed. "Right this second?"

Daryl didn't have time to reload his cross bow, he'd have to switch to his knife.

"Too slow," Mara taunted and brushed past him. Damn, the girl was quick. The walkers focused in on the new movement and the scent of the living.

The first walker that reached for Mara was relieved of their arms with one quick swing and with a grunt Mara drove the small knife in her left hand up under its jaw. She yanked the knife out while keeping the sword up, ready for a new threat.

Daryl carved down two quickly, furious that she had taken the lead from him. With an impressive manoeuvre, Mara took the last one out by sending her sword perfectly between its eyes.

Daryl strode up to her mad as a cut snake. He wrapped his fingers around her bicep and spun her to face him. She looked startled and she had to use a hand on his chest to steady himself. Lucky she had sheathed her knife or he would have a nasty chest wound right now but he wasn't thinking clearly.

"What were you thinkin'? You stay behind me from now on, y'hear!" Daryl snarled at her.

"I don't take orders from you! I don't need you to protect me!" Mara was just as angry now. Her face was red and hair dishevelled from the quick fight.

Daryl realised that she wasn't that much shorter than him and he was looking into her eyes. Both of them were breathing hard and some insane section of his brain was telling him that her eyes were pretty like that, sparking with anger.

Before he could rebel against his traitorous brain, which had had a short supply of female stimulate, and push her away. There was a crashing sound from further up the hill.

"What t' hell was that?" Daryl asked.

He was answered by the fattest walker he had ever seen smashing through the wildlife. Daryl's jaw dropped and Mara's eyes widened. They sprung into defensive positions. It became immediately apparent that all the things that would have hindered this guy alive made him more dangerous dead. At no risk of falling victim to shortness of breath or tired muscles, his sheer bulk had turned him into a charging bull. Gravity gave him speed that he would never have had alive.

Before they had time to think he was on top of them. Whether by design or accident he barrelled into Mara, taking her down the hill. Daryl took off after them, not quite believing that this was happening.

He could see Mara twisting as they rolled trying to get the upper hand but the momentum that kept them moving made that impossible. When they finally stopped Mara was trapped underneath its bulk. She thrust her arm between the walked and her face. Daryl thought it was just instinct to protect her face and his heart leapt into his throat when he watched the walker bite down on her forearm.

Relief instantly followed when he remembered she was protected by her uniform. Daryl was next to them in an instance, falling to his knees and using both hands to drive the knife through the top of the walker's skull.

The fight went out of the walker instantly and it slumped forward smothering Mara. She pushed ineffectively at the body and even her toned military muscles couldn't budge the dead weight.

Daryl contemplated letting her struggle as pay back for all the condescending looks he'd received from her earlier but he noticed that her efforts were becoming slightly more frantic and worried she was going to panic he shoved the body away from her.

Mara sucked in some air immediately after being freed. Daryl reached down to offer her a hand and was moderately surprised when she took it and let him hoist her to her feet.

Daryl realised she was shaking and saw the side of her face that had been away from him was smeared with blood. He seized her shoulders to get a good look at her. "What's wrong? You get bit?" He grabbed her cheeks and tilted her face to either side to see her neck.

With a groan he realised she was laughing. "That would have looked hilarious." The blood was coming from a scratch above her eyebrow. Looked like a stick had gotten her during the tumble.

"Stop laughing, that ain't funny." But even as he tried to be stern he could feel a chuckle threatening to escape.

Mara wiped her eyes, "You're right, you're right. It's just the adrenalin come down."

Daryl noticed she was actually swaying. "You alright?" he asked again.

"Probably just dehydration," Mara shrugged.

"Well drink something then, ya idiot."

"I'm fine."

"Yer no good to me passed out in the dirt. Have some water." Daryl didn't want to hear any negotiations.

Mara didn't argue and fumbled for her canteen. "Fark!"

"'Scuse me?"

"I lost my water bottle. Fark!"

Daryl could tell from her tone that it was just her accent distorting the word 'fuck' but for some reason it made him want to giggle at her. Daryl had a rule to never laugh at women holding swords. Funny how that only became relevant after the dead had risen from the grave.

"Here have some of mine." Daryl threw his small bottle to her.

Mara drank from it deeply. The Georgia heat was getting to her.

"Easy, save some for me."

Mara tossed it back to him. "Thanks."

Daryl took a smaller sip. "So what did you do before you became a walker hunter?"

"I studied French literature at university," Mara answered, taking a second to tidy her hair out of her eyes and pick some leaves off.

"Figured you for a college girl," Daryl said. Explained her superior attitude toward his poor uneducated self.

"I'd only done one year of it when everything changed."

"So you speak French?"

"Nope, probably why I was failing."

Daryl didn't know if she was being serious at first but her eyes were mischievous. Daryl smiled slowly at her joke.

"'M sorry you didn't get to finish yer course," Daryl said abruptly, feeling a little uncomfortable.

Thankfully Mara didn't notice his unease. She shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Useless thing to study anyway. Not practical these days. Would have been more helpful if I was good at hunting and tracking."

Daryl shifted from foot to foot. He wasn't sure if he was being mocked or being complimented right now. If he played percentages, she was probably making fun of him but something stopped him from a biting retort. He decided no reaction was safest for once.

"We should get back before the others start t' worry," Daryl suggested and set off without waiting for an answer.

**AN: I hope everyone has hung in there with me until now. It has been painful listening to the nuances of our accent while writing this story. We go along blissfully unaware we even have an accent and then all of a sudden, you can hear the Aussie twang. Also I'm going to apologise in advance for any clichés that find their way into the story. While I have a girl crush on Americans, I don't have that intrinsic understanding that a native would have. I also hope you're finding Mara tolerable. I wanted to have her realistically capable. I could never buy in to stories where Daryl was instantly protective of that helpless women after the instant he lays eyes on her. It's not a reflection on the quality of writing, some were very strong authors, but to me that's not who Daryl is. But as we all know fanfic is subjective. Please review,**

**MD 666**


	4. Chapter 4

Mara winced. "Shit, Elias."

"Sorry," he said, even though he couldn't be treating her with more care. He gently dabbed antiseptic on her cut.

"I'm sorry, just fu-" Mara saw Carl watching intently, "_freaking_ stings.

Carl squared his shoulders offended. "I know what you were going to say. I'm not a kid."

"Well _I_ don't know what you're talking about," Mara retorted. Everyone except Maggie and Christine were squeezed into a cell block eating and swapping war stories from the day.

"You shoulda seen this walker, Man," Daryl was telling Rick. "Like watching a bowling ball take down an alley pin."

"I'm so glad you were there to see it," Mara said sarcastically.

"Glad t'save your life, ya mean?"

"I could have done just fine," Mara said with as much dignity as someone getting patched up could muster.

"You have many encounters with walkers in Australia?" Hershel asked.

"We never had a spook, walker, set foot on our soil," Yussuf answered with pride.

"None?" Glenn asked

Nathan shook his head. "There was an incident with a ghost ship but we dealt with that before an outbreak could follow."

"But what about the ones that just die naturally? Surely you've had some deaths in a year?" Rick asked.

The Australians looked baffled. "What are you talking about?" Elias asked. "What does it matter if a person just dies?"

There was a loaded pause from the survivors. Mara could sense something wasn't right. Fear began to uncurl in her belly. What did they know that they didn't?

"They're all turning aren't they?" It was more of a statement than a question from Nathan.

Rick met Nathan's stare and nodded once. "Their bite doesn't turn you, it just kills you."

"Are you shitting me?" Mara shouted, pushing away from Elias. She felt something inside of her snap and her stance was hostile and she was furious.

"Mara, calm down," Yussuf pleaded.

"No! We're infected. We weren't and now we are! From being in contact with them," she pointed at the wall at some invisible walker. "And from _them_!" This time she jabbed her finger at the survivors.

In her mind she could see herself drinking from Daryl's water bottle and she felt sick.

"You knew about this," she whirled to face Daryl.

He held up his hands, "we didn't know y' weren't infected."

Some rational part of Mara knew that is wasn't Daryl's fault, or anyone's fault. But that part was very small and he had the misfortune of standing closest while she lost it.

Mara grabbed him by the front of his shirt and shoved him back. "I have parents, a family, a life!"

Daryl tried to uncurl her fingers but she had them dug tight in the fabric. He ended up pushing her back. Mara fell back on the floor. Daryl looked surprised that he'd shoved her that hard and was taking a step forward to help her up.

"I don't want your help," Mara spat out. "Stupid white trash, should have known you'd push women too."

The instant those words left her mouth Mara felt shame. Daryl's shoulders stiffened like loaded springs and two spots of colour burnt in his cheeks. He stalked from the room without a backwards glance.

"That was uncalled for," Carol said quietly. Mara knew that Carol was right and that her temper had done the talking for her but she was struggling to process the fact that her life as she knew it was over.

She stayed on the ground with her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. Her deep breaths were ragged and bordering on hyperventilation.

Yussuf knelt by her. "Mara, you need to calm down."

"Yussuf, don't you understand? They're not going to let us back. You saw how things were. They turned away hundreds of refugees so they're sure as hell not gonna let us in now that we're carrying this filthy disease."

Mara thought she'd save lives by volunteering and she knew there was the risk of death but she always believed that she would go home and resume her life. Now she was stuck here until they came up with a cure, or until she died.

_Five years ago_, _Darwin_

They were talking about him like he wasn't there again. Elias didn't mind, in fact he was completely used to it.

His mum was sad with what she was hearing, he could tell. He didn't know much but he knew that.

The guidance counsellor was explaining that with his grades there was no chance of him getting into university and with his learning difficultly there weren't a lot of options left.

The guidance counsellor tried to be matter-of-fact and professional, sending sympathetic glances at Elias.

Elias didn't take any of it personally because he could tell she just wanted to help. Teenagers had been cruel and Elias had a thick skin because of it.

His mum and dad were having a hard time hearing the fact that their son would never amount to much more than a grocery stacker.

Elias hadn't thought too much about his future. With his side the option of football always came up, maybe league or union, but it didn't interest Elias much at all. He didn't have that aggressive streak.

That didn't bother him too much but disappointing his parents? Yeah, that was the sticker.

_Present day, Georgia_

Christina and Mara had dug some workout clothes out of their pack and were running laps inside the prison fence. Christine was pushing to stay with Mara who was the fastest in the group. Michonne had joined them and she kept up an easy pace. She was obviously in good shape from the constant roaming.

In Georgia being fit was synonymous with being alive and they were still adjusting to the sticky Georgia heat.

It was still early in the day but it seemed like all the prisons occupants were taking the morning to enjoy the nice weather before it got too hot.

Rick and Nathan were sitting next to each other as the girls walked up from their run. Mara was finding them in each other's company more often than not and suspecting they were working out a plan.

Christine put her hands on her hips. "Hey Sergeant Mastermind, you know if they have working showers? We all stink!"

Nathan looked to Rick. "She's got a point. Hygiene should become a priority if it's safe. Disease is one of the worst killers in battle."

Rick considered the question. "Prison should have working pumps. We've never found the showers."

"I know where they are," Carl piped up.

"We can take the women first; make sure no one gets hurt. Take the opportunity to wash Judith too." Mara had been subdued for the last couple of days. She was slowly becoming more communicative. She knew that she had to apologise to Daryl too but she kept putting it off. It wasn't because of Mara's pride, she knew she had crossed a line, but because she was too embarrassed to face him.

Rick considered the suggestion and nodded slowly.

That was how the women ended up in a group in the showers.

"Alright ladies, here's the plan. Two in the shower at a time, I need the rest of you ready to fight just in case," Mara said as she wrapped a chain through the handles of the door, which would slow the spooks down if they attacked.

She wasn't sure they were paying her any attention, judging from the delighted whoops that sounded when the water started.

"Shh," Mara hushed them but the obvious joy brought a smile to her face. Beth and Maggie were the first in to the shower, the rest turned to give them some privacy. Beth let out a little squeal at the coldness of the water. Even Michonne cracked a smile at their antics.

"Don't forget this," Christine said, throwing a bar of soap over her shoulder.

Mara leant against the wall near the door and didn't hear Carol approach. She started when Carol spoke.

"You doin' ok?"

Mara sighed. "I'm better. Pretty ashamed of my tantrum though."

Carol was understanding. "You had just learned something pretty horrific. That would weigh on anyone."

The two women were silent for a minute listening to the water.

"Daryl is a good man," Carol said abruptly. "He's done some things he ain't proud of but he risked his life to save my little girl."

Nathan already had told them about Sophia and even Daryl's part in all of it.

"I'm sorry for your loss." That was all Mara could think to say. What could you say that would offer any comfort to a grieving mother?

Carol's smile was weak around the edges. "Thank you. I wished you'd make things right with him. He hides it well but he's sensitive and he's been sulkin' ever since-"

"Since I was a rude bitch?"

Carol laughed outright.

"You're right, Carol. It was uncalled for. I'll apologise today."

Carol looked satisfied with the outcome.

Mara used the shower last, almost moaning with pleasure as the water ran over her body. After living in the heat and stench, the cool water was a blessing. Mara was pulling on her cloths, her wet hair dripping down her back when Beth shrieked and not in a playful way. A spook was pushing at the door.

The scream alerted it to the fact it had found jackpot. Six warm adult bodies and one baby. Christine and Mara pushed to the front. Christine tossed Mara the weapon she had been holding for her.

Mara tossed her impenetrable jacket behind her. "Wrap Judith in that!"

As soon as enough of the spook's face was visible, Christine plunged a sword into its face.

Christine moved back in line with Mara. "There are more."

"Enough to break the door?"

"Probably."

Michonne, Maggie and Carol moved forward creating a stronger shield between Judith and the dead.

The chain started to give. "What knot did you tie?"Maggie asked.

"The only kind of you can really tie with chains," Mara said. "We're gonna have to fight."

The gap between the doors widened enough to let one slip through and then another. They rushed at the group snarling and snapping.

Mara took one and Christine the other. They killed in perfect synchronicity, not having to exchange a word.

"Be careful, Mara," Christine instructed and Mara knew she was talking about her bare arms.

The chain slid off the handle like a snake. The door swung wide on their hinges. It was ten spooks and they were backed against a wall trapped.

Mara and Christine lunged forward. Michonne, Carol and Maggie fought with equal ferocity. Michonne demonstrated her precise skill with a blade. Maggie and Carol didn't have the training but they had the motivation. One spook slipped past the fighters and reached for Beth. Its face was sliding off its bones. Beth took a terrified step back and clutched Judith closer.

Carol swung her bat into the Walkers torso and the Walker staggered away. Maggie ended it with a sharp thrust in the temple.

"Let's move, "Mara hissed. "Go quiet."

Christine was on high alert as she took the rear guard of the group with Michonne. They had told Mara this part of the prison was clear except for maybe the occasional incident but there must have been a way for a bigger group to sneak in.

Mara kept the flashlight steadily pointed forward. It was the moans that alerted her to the presence of the spooks up ahead. A small group ambled around the corner. "Back it up," Mara called.

"They're behind us!" She heard Christine shout from behind.

Mara swore and launched herself forward; Maggie was right next to her. Mara quickly realised that in the tight corridors surrounded by living bodies she couldn't use her sword for ultimate damage.

As smoothly as she could she switched to her knife but the push of walkers caused her to drop it. Using the only weapon she had left, her body, she kicked the closest spook hard in the face. Her heavy boots made a crunching sound.

They had all been taught hand to hand combat during their training but Mara had never thought she'd have to use it against spooks.

There was a small space around them. Maggie and Carol were killing the spooks efficiently enough. Mara took the risk of bending down to grab her knife.

A spook on the ground wasn't quite dead. Mara couldn't help the startled cry that escaped her lips as it grabbed her wrist and her bicep, slamming it up against the wall and stretching it out like a buffet.

Mara frantically snatched the knife up, breaking finger nails along the ground. She slammed it into the spooks head just when she felt its panting wheezes on her skin.

Carol was there in an instant, pushing the spook away and dragging Mara to her feet.

Mara nodded her thanks and took the lead again. Christine was still using her sword at the rear, keeping the spooks clear of Beth and Judith. Somehow Michonne and Christine were managing to avoid cutting each other with their swords.

It ended abruptly. One minuted they were fighting for their lives and the next minute all the spooks were dead at their feet. Mara didn't take a second to enjoy the victory.

"Let's go."

The rest of the journey was spook free. Mara's body still trembled a bit from the adrenalin rush and the fear. That was the closest she'd come to being bitten before now. If she had been a fraction slower she'd be dead now. It was a sobering thought and gave Mara a renewed respect for the survivors in the prison.

"We almost got killed for a shower," Christine pointed out when they made it safely back to the cell block.

"I don't know about you," Carol said, "but I almost think it was worth it." The grin on her face made the other women laugh.

Glenn came up to Maggie and embraced her. "Oh my god, you smell amazing."

"It's just soap," Maggie answered, but she looked pleased anyway.

"Where are Yussuf and Elias?" Mara asked.

"Out on guard with Daryl," Hershel answered.

"We've been coming up on with a plan," Rick spoke.

"Sarge?" Christine turned to Nathan. If there was a plan, it didn't apply to the Australians unless Nathan was on board. Nathan nodded at his two corporals, silently giving his support.

"We're going to fortify the prison, make it our base and clear it out. Then we can go looking for other survivors."

Mara understood why Nathan and Rick had been talking in private so much. Nathan had been persuading him to let more strangers into the prison. He'd not kept his corporals in the loop because this plan confirmed one thing. They weren't going home and they need a more permanent base.

Mara swallowed the lump in her throat. "That's a good idea. What are our orders?"

"Mara, you and Daryl are gonna make a run into town tomorrow. We need cement, medical supplies, pretty much anything you can find that'll be helpful."

Mara stared at her sergeant. Was he trying to punish her by sending her off with the one person in the group who had a reason to hate her?

"And you'll have to watch out for the Governor and his men," Rick added.

Christine put her hands on her hips. "That reminds me. I feel like you owe us a story about this Governor."

Rick exchanged looks with Nathan. "You're right. I'll tell it tonight when all your people are here."

"Mara, can I speak to you please?" Nathan asked.

"Sure." Mara followed him off some ways. If Nathan wanted to speak to her in private it could only mean she was going to get in trouble.

"You need to make things right with Daryl."

Mara would never accuse Nathan of wasting words. "So that's why I'm getting sent on this errand."

"That man is an integral part of this group. Rick and Hershel both respect his opinion. He's saved nearly everyone in this group at least once. He's important and they're never going to fully trust us if one of mine is antagonising one of theirs."

"I know. I was going to apologise I was just trying to find..."

"Some balls?"

"The right time!" Mara corrected.

"Either way, do it soon."

Mara watched Nathan walk off. That was the second person in one day demanding she get her act together. It was time to bite the bullet and apologise.

**AN: I'm just trying to establish a dynamic between the Aussie's and the survivors, including the prejudices that come with it all. Next chapter will have more Daryl POV but I thought I'd stick with Mara after her outburst and the guilt she's feeling. Please review and let me know what you're thinking. I'm still very much in the 'getting to know you' stage. **

**MD666 **


	5. Chapter 5

"Don't you ever get bored?" Yussuf asked.

Daryl was struggling to keep his patience. Yussuf had not shut up the entire time they were out there. Every time he was inside it was constant chat and bickering and that was fine. Reminded him he was alive and part of a community but being on watch was his one opportunity for peace and quiet.

Elias he didn't mind. He was more or less silent with any one he didn't know. Daryl would quite happily be partnered up with Elias on watch duty. The sheer size of the man wouldn't make him a good patrol partner.

Mara had been good. Quiet and quick. Too bad she was a bitch. Daryl still felt a tightness in his chest when he remembered what she said to him. He may be many things but he'd never raised a hand to a woman in his entire life. He hadn't meant to push her away that hard but he'd felt cornered and she was out of control.

"Let's do something."

That was another thing about Yussuf. He didn't require an answer from anyone to keep the conversation going.

"Like what?" Daryl resigned himself to whatever stupid suggestion Yussuf was going to make.

"Well the girls are off showering so let's do something suitably manly. Let's have an archery contest."

"Seriously?" Daryl asked.

"Sure. We saw you on the first day and you have some insane skill. Or are you scared?" Yussuf taunted.

"I could beat ya with my eyes closed and one hand. Let's do this," Daryl retorted immediately. He stifled a groan when he saw Yussuf's triumphant face. He'd just been goaded into the stupid competition. Apparently Daryl was that easy to play.

He heard Elias chuckle. "Y'know, I liked ya better when you didn't make noise," Daryl muttered.

Daryl let Yussuf find targets. It had been his suggestion so it was only right he did all the work.

"We don't even have the same equipment," Daryl noted of their military grade weapons.

"Consider it our advantage," Yussuf replied.

They fired off a few shots apiece and Daryl admitted the Australians were good but he was better. They knew it too but they didn't pull out of the competition and they kept up the good natured banter. Daryl was stunned to find he was having fun. There was a majority of women in the camp now and this time with the men was a nice change of pace.

He didn't get scolded for the filthy curses that tumbled from his mouth when he missed a shot. In fact, Yussuf said things that made even him blush. Merle probably would have liked Yussuf if, you know, he could get past the whole ethnicity thing.

It quickly became less of a competition and more of a test to see how many difficult, outlandish shots Daryl could make.

"Shit." Elias exclaimed after the latest one. It was said as a compliment. "Were you born with a crossbow in your hand?"

Daryl shrugged, not really wanting to discuss his childhood. "Gotta eat." He looked at Yussuf. "What about you? I bet you're no stranger to a hungry stomach."

Daryl had asked the question before he could think about it. When had he become so interested in the plight of the migrant?

"Nah man, my dad's a doctor and my mother is a lawyer."

"So why'd y'sign up?"

"Oh I was already in the military for a year before this shit went down. I requested a transfer to the spook division."

Daryl thought Yussuf was the least obedient solider he'd ever met. He'd assumed that, desperate for volunteers, they'd gone easy on the whole discipline crap. But Yussuf had lasted two years in the military with that attitude?

"Good thing too. Never would have made corporal in the regular military."

Daryl lined up his shot. "Yeah I thought that was weird. Never seen so many corporals in one team."

"Nathan recommended us all for promotion. I think he was trying to be fair," Elias said.

"He's a big softy at heart but don't tell him I said that," Yussuf said.

Daryl was distracted by movement closer to the prison. The women must have been done with their washing. They looked startlingly clean next to the men and for the first time Daryl considered that the idea might not have been such a dangerous waste of time. He'd been filthy for so long and god knew he stunk.

He focused on the target again; he could have done without the audience.

It was smaller and further away than the others but he nailed the shot cleanly. The others that had just joined were cheering. Daryl couldn't help a bashful smile.

"Shit!" Elias said again.

Rick approached the group. "I think it's our turn to take showers. The ladies have informed us that now they're clean they can notice how we smell and apparently it isn't pretty."

"What happened to 'this ain't a democracy,' Rick?" Daryl asked.

"Daryl, one day you might learn that there are just some times when you let a woman have her way." Rick slapped him on the shoulder and headed back to the group.

Daryl looked to the Australians to see if they were going to cooperate too.

"I've tried it, it's fun letting them have their way." Yussuf winked at him and followed Rick.

"I get the feelin' Yussuf meant something else entirely," Daryl said perplexed.

"He mostly always does," Elias confirmed. Daryl laughed at that and decided a shower would probably be ok.

As he approached the group he realised that instead of trying to avoid him, Mara was actively trying to meet his eyes. Daryl wasn't interested. He'd had a good afternoon and he didn't particularly feel like being her punching bag again. He tried to slip past her but she put a hand gently on his bicep to slow him.

Daryl looked down at that hand like it was a branding iron and sensing him tense under her fingers, Mara quickly removed her hand. Not before Daryl could notice that her fingers were raw and battered. So they'd seen action in the prison today.

"I just wanted to talk," Mara said quickly as if he might bolt.

"So talk." Daryl knew his voice was a little aggressive but he couldn't help it. He enjoyed watching Mara squirm.

"I wanted to apologise for the other day. I was mad and I didn't mean it so I'm sorry."

"Is that it?" Daryl asked. Mara looked put out by his blunt words.

"Yes, I know what I said was horrible and it's not how I think about you at all," Mara added.

Daryl considered what she said and then nodded. He pushed past her without another word.

"So does that mean you accept my apology?" she called after him. Daryl paused but didn't turn to face her. This was always the way with abuse. They hurt you and then they apologised. They made you feel safe and good and then they did again. He wasn't going to fall into that cycle with Mara even if she only used words and not fists.

"If that helps you sleep at night," Daryl said over his shoulder and then kept walking.

_One year ago_, _Undisclosed location in the Australian Outback_

Nathan was being punished, he knew it.

He crossed his arms and looked at his rag tag mix of recruits. He was sure he had been given the worst four out of the mix. He wondered if it was a racial thing. There weren't many Aboriginal commanders but his superiors had assured him it was because his skill was needed to transform them in to fighters.

He had them doing push-ups and Mara collapsed into the dirt. One whole week and that girl could barely do ten. She could also barely run a kilometre. Mara was a timid, tentative girl who could barely manage the fight to throw a punch.

And then there was Christine. She was competent but she was not a team player. Christine had a vigilante mentality and Nathan was uncomfortable with the look in her eyes. He'd been briefed on her situation. Her fiancé had been lost during the first weeks of the outbreak.

Elias had barely said four words to him. Nathan knew there were extenuating circumstances but letting in special needs cases seemed more dangerous than helpful.

Nathan couldn't even think that much about Yussuf. He had been comforted at first when he heard that at least one of them had military experience but after five minutes he'd quickly been relieved of that delusion.

Even Nathan couldn't whip these failures into shape.

_Six months ago, Australian outback_

Nathan put his hands on his hips and conceded he might have been wrong.

He'd been working his team from five in the morning until after dark every day and none of them had quit. That was a mixed blessing. He'd put money on Mara throwing in the towel after two weeks and she was still there. He was out twenty dollars.

And if he had to guess what kept them there slogging it out he'd have to say Yussuf. He had to admit that at first Nathan wasn't sure what that guy's deal was but he realised his team had transformed into a force to be reckoned with and it was because of Yussuf.

When Mara had fallen behind on runs, Yussuf would appear by her side as if by magic with words of encouragement pushing her to do better. He would rile her up until she threw herself completely into fights. Now Mara was the fastest runner out of all of them and had a fighting style that bordered on thuggery.

When Elias had struggled with gun training, Yussuf had spent extra hours patiently helping him get the hang of it until Elias was confident that he could match the speed and accuracy of his colleagues. Nathan had watched Elias find his feet and really step up. Nathan found Elias a stabilising presence and someone he could rely on. Didn't hurt that the big man had a heart of gold.

Yussuf had even gone out of his way to crack jokes to make Christine smile and draw her into the group.

His team slogged their guts out for him and they'd become a pretty awesome team.

_Present day, Georgia_

Mara had the feeling that she wasn't really forgiven. Daryl had started looking at her again but she wasn't sure that was a good thing. He was looking at her like she was animal he wanted to hunt. It had happened after Rick filled him in on their excursion

Thankfully the dramatic tale of the Governor had distracted her. The rest of her team were on the edge of their seats as if they couldn't quite believe this story.

"Let me this get straight? He has spook heads in fish tanks and has one eye? This guy is awesome," Yussuf blurted out.

"No," Glenn shook his head. "Not awesome."

"You're right, not awesome." Yussuf was sobered by the vicious look in Glenn's eyes. Part of the story had included a brief recollection of what had happened to Maggie and Glenn in Woodbury. Mara couldn't stop her eyes flickering to Daryl at the story of Merle. Having a brother like that would certainly exacerbated Dary's abrasiveness.

"And why hasn't he just appeared on your doorstep for revenge?" Christine prompted.

"We don't know," Michonne said. Her eyes had taken on a steely glint as they talked about Woodbury and someone named Andrea.

"He's smart. We have to assume that he has a plan," Rick said. "That's why we have to make fortifying this place a priority."

Mara knew what Rick was saying was true but she couldn't force herself to get excited about her little road trip with Daryl tomorrow. He hadn't taken her apology well and Mara was stumped as to how to fix things now.

She had put herself out there; she hadn't let him brush her aside. Though she hadn't meant to touch him again after everything. It was the first time she had touched him, bare skin to bare skin and Mara had to admit his arms were nice and toned but Daryl had flinched under her hand and she had immediately released him. It wasn't a good sign that he was repulsed by her touch.

As everyone started to go to bed Elias touched Mara's arm and said Nathan wanted a word with them.

They met at the over turned bus outside. Christine was on guard with Carol but they could stand far enough away that their conversation wouldn't be over heard.

"Something on your mind, Sarge?"

Nathan looked torn. "I like Rick and I like this group of survivors."

Christine shot Mara a questioning look; she was unsure where Nathan was taking this.

"We all do," Elias said.

"That might be a problem." Nathan sighed. "We're here to help not to take sides."

"Are we taking sides?" Yussuf asked.

"I feel like we're close to that. If we weren't infected-"

Mara flinched visibly at the word.

"- we would have just evac'd them all out."

"If Rick hadn't agreed to take in other survivors would we have moved on?" Christine asked slowly.

"Probably. We have a responsibility to the entire state."

Mara knew what Nathan was saying. Woodbury and the Governor were part of this world now.

Mara put her hands on her hip. "So what do we do, Sarge?"

"Keep the peace. Try and defuse the situation. If the Governor is as bad as they say then we'll protect these survivors but Rick is certain that there are innocent people in Woodbury."

"I agree with you, Sarge but we're not spectators anymore. This is our world too now." Mara's words stuck in her throat. It was still hard to believe that she just couldn't go home.

Nathan fixed Mara with a look. "We'll do the right thing when the time comes, Mara."

**AN: Yeah so Daryl didn't take the apology well but then did anyone really expect him to accept it? It'll be interesting to see them one on one out on the open road in the next chapter. I enjoy writing their interactions. **

**I know there is a over saturation of Daryl fics out there and I get it - the damaged, cross bow wielding, red neck with a heart of gold is like cocaine to fanfic authors. But if you're out there still reading, I'm imploring you to drop me a quick word. Tell me what you like, what you don't like, even just share your mutual love of Daryl and just say hi. It would really make this authors day and I reply personally to anyone who takes the time to review. **

**Go on, review. You know you want to.**

**Hope you all had a great weekend,**

**MD666**


	6. Chapter 6

Mara lowered herself into the car.

"I don't understand why you have to drive?"

"'Cos you drive on the wrong side of the road!" Daryl started the engine.

"It's the night of living dead. No one else is driving."

"Whatever."

Mara leant back in the seat and crossed her arms. "Whatever my ass."

Daryl looked at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"How long is this going to take?" Mara grumbled.

"Rick wants us to go a few towns over and in the opposite direction of Woodbury."

"Makes sense. Less chance it's been picked clean by scavengers," Mara said.

"So let's have a little quiet time now."

Mara rolled her eyes. Daryl wasn't actively avoiding her or giving off that wounded vibe but he certainly wasn't being any nicer to her. She couldn't help thinking what a jerk he was, even if he did have nice arms. Anyone could have nice arms if they spent years playing with crossbows and hunting squirrels. Hell, she had nice arms.

They settled in to silence and the sun was beating down on Mara through the open window. No wasting petrol on air conditioning in this world. Mara had to admit she was enjoying the peace and quiet after the company heavy life at the prison. It was rare to find yourself with just one other person. Daryl even smelt ok after the shower and his hair was apparently a light brown and not black after washing.

They went through two small towns before stopping at the third. Daryl examined the area as best he could and parked the car in a small side street. "Don't want it t'get stolen," he said by way of explanation.

"Who is stealing cars in the apocalypse?"

Daryl shrugged. "Happens." He got out of the car and pulled the weapons from the trunk of the car. For the first time he had his back to Mara.

Mara sucked in her breath. "That is the ugliest shirt I've ever seen," she said without thinking. Mara hoped he hadn't heard.

Daryl appeared from the depths of the car. "Yer picking on my shirt now?"

Mara had a look of wonder on her face. Wings? Seriously? There were just so many white trash clichés that Daryl could rock.

"I'm sorry. I know I rag on you a lot about being a red neck but sometimes you make it really easy."

Daryl leant back on the car and eyed her squarely. "Are you trying to get me outta my shirt?"

"You wish!" Mara scoffed and pushed past him to get the weapons. It was also to hide the blush. She was wondering if the nice muscles in his arms extended into his torso and abs. And sure, maybe she'd like to see some of that if it belonged to anyone but Daryl.

Mara scanned the main street. No spooks that she could see yet.

"Street's clear of walkers, let's move."

"Hardware store first?" Mara suggested. Now they were out in the open her mind had turned to business.

Daryl nodded and raised his crossbow. The hardware store front windows were intact and a quick glance inside didn't reveal any spooks. Mara opened the door slowly so that Daryl could take point with his crossbow. At the last second Mara saw the bell attached to the door and stopped pulling.

"Fuck," she breathed.

"Like ringing a dinner bell," Daryl added softly. He slipped in the half open door first. Mara followed and carefully pulled the door shut.

Daryl put his finger to his lips and pointed further into the store. They could hear scratching deeper in. They split up down different aisles. Mara felt better with her fatigues zipped tight but the close call the other day had instilled a wariness in her. The spook was at the far wall lazily hitting at bolts on the shelf. Daryl whistled to get its attention and when it rambled off after the first meal it had seen in months, Mara cut off the top of its head cleanly. Like something in a horror film, the body slumped one way and the top of the skull fell in the other direction.

"I had it," Daryl grumbled.

Mara ignored him. She started searching for cement bags and any tools that would help reinforce the prison. They made discrete runs to load up the car.

"Supermarket and pharmacy next." Daryl checked them off on his fingers.

In the supermarket they took all the baby formula and tinned food they could find. In the pharmacy it was more obvious that it had been looted but thankfully not picked clean.

"Let's get this done," Daryl urged, obviously thinking Mara was taking too long.

"Relax, we've seen one spook."

"Yeah that's what bothers me."

Mara reached down and snatched a box of condoms from a shelf.

Daryl raised an eyebrow. "Planning a big night for yourself?"

"They're not for me. They're for the group."

"I don't think the group needs... those."

This time it was Mara's turn to arch an eyebrow. "Your group has a newborn baby, don't even try that." Mara noticed his hesitation to say the word condoms but decided not to waste time teasing.

"Go on, throw 'em in." Daryl held the bag open and away from him as if she was tossing a rattlesnake at him.

"We should go by the suburbs quickly and see if we can siphon some petrol," Mara suggested.

"Car'll barely go as it is, you've packed it so full," Daryl said but he turned the car out of the main street. They found a quiet little street and parked the car in a garage to hide it from prying eyes. Mara hadn't expected to count other humans in the list of threats when they had first come. The Governor had made her reconsider.

They found a car just abandoned and the door was half open. Daryl crouched low to the ground to see if anything was hiding underneath. He signalled the all clear by gesturing at Mara to follow him. She came up alongside the car and saw there was a dead body in the front seat. Not a spook, just a regular dead body.

Except it was a child. The little boy smelt awful and something had taken a bite out of his face. The body was well into the stages of decay. There were flies all around feasting on his flesh.

Mara felt all the blood rush to her head and she spun away onto the suburban lawn. She fell to her knees and vomited. There was something more awful about this one child in this car than all the stumbling dead spooks she had seen, even if they looked more gruesome.

Mara tried to stop retching but she couldn't. She felt weak and guilty of all the noise she was making. Then there was a hand on her lower back steadying her.

Mara sat back on her heels and looked at Daryl who was kneeling next to her. He looked uncomfortable and handed her a water bottle before wordlessly moving back to the car. Mara rinsed out her mouth to get rid of the acidic after taste.

She waited for Daryl to tease her but it never came. He bent to his task and Mara went back to scanning the street. Mara tensed when she heard an engine and walked closer to Daryl. A truck spun round the corner fast. Mara ducked down beside Daryl, clamping a hand on his shoulder to keep him down too.

Mara slowly ducked her head around the corner to watch the situation unfold. Four men got out of the truck and they were armed. They were armed well judging by how loud and confident they were acting.

"Go through the houses and see if you can find anything useful," one of them was saying.

"And kill anyone you find."

Mara's stomach dropped at that last bit.

"Guess they ain't friendly," Daryl said wryly. Mara looked around for an exit. They were too exposed here but any route of escape would put them straight in the line of fire. Daryl fumbled with the fuel can, pulling the hose out of the tank and screwing on the cap. The fuel was not negotiable, they couldn't leave it behind.

Mara could hear footsteps approaching; they would be near the car any minute now. Daryl dropped to his stomach and wriggled under the car. Mara shoved the fuel can under to him and then rolled under next to him.

Lying side by side, Mara held her breath. Daryl didn't sound like he was breathing either. Mara could see feet now and tried to curl in on herself so they wouldn't see her. She crossed her fingers and hoped they didn't check under the car for spooks like Daryl had done.

Thankfully they walked by but Mara didn't exhale. Daryl was tense next to her and she could feel his hand sliding down between their bodies to reach for his knife.

There were shots and shouts. Mara thought she couldn't be more on edge but the sound of dragging feet and groans was unmistakable. Daryl's body was blocking her view of the other side of the street. Mara could hear car doors slam and her imagination was conjuring wild images.

Daryl abruptly started shoving her out from under the car.

"We have to go!" He sounded frantic. Whatever was coming was worse than the men. Mara was out from under the car and on her feet as quickly as possible. She used one hand to help pull Daryl out.

Looking through the car windows Mara saw what Daryl saw. A massive group of spooks ambling out of houses and up the street, appearing from nowhere like some hideous magic trick. One of the men was surrounded, his shrieks as he was dragged down and killed were ear piercing.

"No time for gawkin'," Daryl snapped and pushed her on.

The spooks were distracted by the fresh bloody meat on the ground but there were too many to occupy and the movement up the street caught their eye.

It never ceased to amaze Mara how fast they could move when they were riled up. Daryl pointed to a gate that led into the backyard. "There!"

They barrelled through the gate and threw is shut behind them knowing it would only hold the spooks off for a minute.

The backyard ended in a tall fence and right behind that was the forest. "We can lose them in there."

"What about the supplies?" Mara asked, breathless.

"We can go back for them later." Daryl didn't wait for further discussion. He put two hands on the top of the fence and hoisted himself up just as the gate flung open.

Needing no more encouragement than a rampage of the walking dead, Mara followed his lead. Her boots scratched uselessly against the wood as she tried to find a toe hold. She had to rely on the strength of her arms to pull herself up.

Daryl reached down a rough hand and yanked her up by the collar of her jacket. They tumbled over. Daryl landed on his feet but Mara stumbled a little.

"Move," Daryl snapped. Mara heard the impact of the group colliding with the fence and saw it shudder. It wouldn't hold for much longer. Daryl was looking around frantically. Daryl suddenly stopped dead and stared up.

"What are you doing?" Mara demanded frantically.

Daryl put the fuel can down at the base of a tree. "We're climbing."

Mara looked behind them and watched the fence slam forward. They only had a few seconds. Mara grabbed the lowest branch. Daryl interlocked his fingers and, shoving them under her boot, gave Mara a boost. Mara reached a hand down to Daryl but he ignored it and pulled himself up into the branches with the same ease he scaled the fence.

Mara pulled herself higher into the tree. The higher she got the denser the leaves and branches were as the trees started to overlap. She stopped when she was confident that they were mostly concealed by leaves. They heard the fence give way. Daryl paused on a branch near her.

The spooks rushed by below them. Their noses were in the air sniffing their prey out. They could still smell Mara and Daryl but their rotting brains didn't think to look up into the canopy.

They were safe for now.

...

Daryl was stiff and tired by the time the last walker had passed by the base of the tree. He still didn't move just in case one snapping twig brought them all rushing back. Mara was resting her check against the bark and had a far off look.

Most of the day was gone and dusk was setting in.

"I think they've gone," Daryl whispered.

The glazed look in Mara's eyes retreated. "What do you want to do?"

For once Daryl wasn't sure. He didn't know how far that group of walkers had gotten. Once they'd lost their trail they had slowed right back down to their shuffling pace. Daryl didn't know if they'd gone five meters or five miles. He couldn't get a clear look at the ground from up here.

He was also worried about those men. Were they part of a larger group? Were they using the town as a base? They had been lucky to escape detection. They probably would have killed Daryl, maybe they would have kept Mara. He remembered the story Randal had told him in the shed and shuddered. Probably in that situation Daryl would be the lucky one.

He would have made a run for the car but he didn't want to risk Mara's life. He hated being responsible for another person. A year ago he wouldn't have even considered waiting around just for Mara's sake, hell for anyone's sake.

"I'm not sure," he confessed. "Parta me wants to try for the car but I don't like doing it in the dark."

"You want to stay in the tree all night?" Mara looked exhausted. He actually felt a little sorry for her.

"I wanna _survive_ the night."

"Why don't we use the hammock?" Mara said.

"Hammock?"

"Yeah in my backpack. We have hammocks. We can tie it up high so no spooks can get to us and I doubt people will be looking in the trees at night."

Daryl opened his mouth to tell her how stupid the idea was but he reconsidered. This might not be a bad idea. Obviously sleep wouldn't be recommended because any tossing and turning could pitch them out but they'd be able to lie down and rest. Better than clinging to a tree all night in the cold.

Daryl grunted his acceptance of the suggestion. Mara leaned back against a branch and fumbled in her bag for the hammock. Luckily she didn't seem overly concerned with heights and Daryl had spent time up trees since he was a small child. He manoeuvred his way through the branches and tied one side of the hammock up and Mara did the same on the other side.

He watched her out of the corner of his eye to make sure she didn't tie a weak girly knot or a fancy Australian knot he hadn't heard of. Mara tied the same know he had and he suspected he wasn't the only one keeping an eye on their partner. Maybe she suspected he was gonna snap and do some woman beating.

That series of dark thoughts put him in a foul mood. It was dark, he was stuck away from people that he needed to protect and to make matters worse, he was stuck in a tree.

Daryl climbed into the hammock with ease and Mara wriggled her way in with a lot less grace. They were side by side, shoulder to shoulder. Daryl realised he should have stipulated they lay head to toe. Would have served her right to spend a night with his smelly shoe in her face seeing as how she treated him like he was something that she had found on the bottom of hers.

The slope of the hammock meant they kept rolling towards each other. Daryl turned on his side, facing away from her. He didn't want to have to avoid eye contact with Mara the whole night.

Daryl tried to relax. It was a decent night after all. He couldn't see the stars from where he lay but it wasn't too cold and there was no wind. The thought that no walkers could reach him up here was a comforting one too and Daryl could feel his breath evening out. He was slipping into the almost meditative state he experienced when he was tracking or hunting.

An hour had passed and he might have thought Mara was asleep she was so still and quiet. He could tell that she wasn't though, he could still sense her body tense like a wire next to his.

"Daryl?" a voice said softly.

Daryl resisted the urge to bark at her to shut up but he didn't want the bother of even that small a conversation. He kept his eyes closed and ignored her.

There was a tentative touch on his elbow. Daryl kept pretending to be asleep. He would have enjoyed accusing her of trying to touch him funny in his sleep but he doubted Rick would have appreciated him exacerbating the animosity.

There was a little sigh and Daryl thought she was going to settle down and sleep maybe but she kept talking.

"I am really sorry you know," Mara said in a voice so soft that if the night hadn't been perfectly tranquil he wouldn't have heard it. Her tone was so quiet Daryl was certain she believed he was asleep.

"I've heard what you did for Sophia."

Daryl had to fight not to react to that. He could never hear that little girls name without thinking of how he had failed and reliving the soul crushing moment when she had come hobbling out of the barn.

"I heard how much that hurt you. I misjudged you and I feel awful because apparently you're a hero." Her words were whispered, barely more than breath on the back of his neck but he felt each one like a needle under his skin.

To hear a stranger confirm that his group, his family, needed and valued him. Maybe even loved him a little. It was a warmth in his belly that he couldn't describe.

Sure Mara had only been so open because she believed he was dead to the world but it was clear to Daryl that what she had said weighed on her conscience more heavily than she had let on.

That unguarded moment had done more to make him forgive her than all the apologies in the world. He still thought she was a snobby pain-in-the-ass but it was possible she wasn't the cruel bitch he had her pegged for.

**AN: So I wrote this chapter with the bell scene before I saw last week's episode with Michonne and Carl. I was all like 'Ah ha! Totally gonna survive the zombie apocalypse.' So I'm hoping you're all craving a little Walking Dead action because tonight's the big night in the USA (new episode airing etc). This fic is getting a decent amount of people following it and it would be great if you all took 30 seconds to review (it's that quick and easy) because reviews feel like love. I know my story's engaging when it gets an average of ten reviews per chapter, so let's make that happen people.**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter – it was awesome to get your thoughts and praise show up in my inbox.**

**Enjoy the episode everybody – Also I have to wait twenty four hours until it shows up in Australia so no spoilers in reviews if you please.**

**MD666**


	7. Chapter 7

Mara jerked awake with a start. She had dreamed she was falling and in a split second her brain ran through the information. She'd been in a hammock, she'd fallen asleep and she was very high off the ground. She might actually be falling.

Once reality penetrated her sleep haze she realised she was in fact still in the hammock. Mara could feel something digging in to her back. She looked over her shoulder and saw a hand was curled into the back of her belt. The hand was scarred and dirty.

She looked up to meet the disgusted gaze of Daryl. "You snore and you move a lot in your sleep."

"But you didn't let me fall out."

Daryl snorted. "Ain't gonna lie, I considered it for a minute."

Mara decided the next time they were in a hammock and _he _fell asleep, instead of pouring her heart out about what an inherently good person he was, she was going to kick him in the ass. Mara may have been swayed to thinking Daryl was a good person but nothing could convince her he wasn't a bit of an asshole.

"C'mon, we're wastin' daylight."

Mara didn't bother pointing out it was dawn. She was as eager to get back to the prison as he was. She noticed Daryl's eyes were bloodshot and guessed that he hadn't gotten nearly as much sleep as she had.

Mara rolled up the hammock and Daryl moved to a lower branch to scan the area for spooks. Mara heard him whistle the all clear. Mara followed him down the trunk to find Daryl picking up the fuel can where he had left it. Apparently it was useful the spooks didn't really have any needs beyond a full stomach.

Daryl took the lead with his crossbow armed and ready. Mara followed in his wake. She had left her sword in its sheath. She had un-holstered her gun instead. At the moment she was more worried about the men with guns. The sword might be the perfect choice for spooks but for armed men, it was better to match fire with fire. Daryl had narrowed his eyes at her decision, seeming to remember her struggles with a crossbow all too clearly.

The remains of the fence cracked under their feet. It was barely more than toothpicks and splinters in the aftermath of the Spook stampede. They hugged the corners of the house, avoiding being in the eye line of any windows.

No sign of spooks today. Maybe the truck, the guns and the loud mouth men had been enough to attract a whole heap of them but the two people stalking the shadows slipped by unnoticed.

They snuck into the garage and were relieved to find the car untouched, still filled to the brim with supplies.

With no discussion they slid inside it and were off. There was something about being in a car that reminded Mara of life back home and when they found an open stretch of road with no abandoned cars Mara briefly indulged the fantasy that she was just on a road trip with a friend. Mara was taking some creative license with Daryl fitting the role of friend but she let herself enjoy it for a few minutes.

She was knocked out of her daydream by the car swerving dramatically on the road. "What the hell?" Mara cried.

Daryl looked startled and was blinking furiously in the front seat. Mara saw there was a fine trembling in his arms and realised that Daryl was exhausted. Dangerously so.

"Stop the car!" She said.

"I'm fine," Daryl snapped.

"Stop the car," Mara repeated but in a wholly different tone. It was a tone that tolerated no disagreement or disobedience. Daryl stopped the car and threw the handbrake on. It was an indication of how tired he was that he didn't argue or insult her.

Mara got out of the car and saw Daryl swap to the passenger seat without even getting out. Mara fixed him with a hard stare. "How long has it been since you've had a full night sleep?"

"While," Daryl mumbled, looking out the window. Mara knew what he wasn't saying. Between the Governor threatening to arrive at their doorstep any second and his suspicion of the new comers Daryl had spent more and more time on patrol and guarding. Getting a good night's rest didn't look like it was high on his list of priorities.

"Try and sleep a bit. I promise not to cut your throat in your sleep," she said dryly, turning the car on again.

Daryl rolled his eyes by way of response but he was soon fast asleep. Mara figured he couldn't be that apprehensive of her anymore.

This time Mara didn't feel the need to espouse what a wonderful person he was. Mara chalked that moment up to fatigued delirium and was glad Daryl had slept through it. She had touched him again, hadn't meant to do that but she had. Mara really had to curb whatever weird impulse made her do that because so far it had only gotten her into trouble. Daryl acted like a spatially aware kind of guy.

...

Daryl became aware of his surroundings slowly. The first thing he tuned into was the sound of voices.

"He looks less dangerous like that," said a voice that sounded annoyingly familiar.

"Almost sweet," another added. That one sounded like Carol but it couldn't be. Daryl was certain they couldn't be talking about him. No one had ever called him sweet in his entire life.

"I know. Poor thing just dropped right off."

He recognised that voice by how it set his teeth on edge. Mara! He cracked open an eye. He was still sitting in the car, his head was thrown back and he could tell from his dry mouth that he'd been sleeping with his mouth open.

Nearly everyone he knew was staring at him through the open car window like he was a zoo attraction.

"I'm going to kill y'all," he croaked out. He was weirded out when they all laughed. What happened to the days when his threat carried some weight? Carl was right there grinning along with them. Even the kids were making fun of him now?

"Mara!" an angry voice snapped. "I told you to make up with the boy!"

Boy? Daryl was having trouble catching up but he felt indignant. Nathan was five years older than him at most.

"I did," Mara answered, not looking the least bit concerned at Nathan using his sergeant voice. "Besides it's not like I'm doing anything I wouldn't do to Yussuf." Yussuf nodded to support that.

"He's lucky he doesn't have a moustache drawn on his face, Sarge," Christina chimed in.

"She's right Sarge, they _did _do that to me!" Yussuf said.

"Fine but as long as the teasing is indiscriminate," Nathan said.

Rick held up his hand. "Hold on there. I don't think I understand what's goin' on."

"It's an Australian thing. You know we like you by how much we pick on you," Elias said.

"That doesn't sound right," Carl said, confused.

Nathan sighed, "It's a cultural thing."

"Yeah, don't be racist!" Yussuf said, crossing his arms and giving Carl a melodramatic stink eye that caused Carl to grin.

"I'm going to allow this because I have no delusions about how much you idiots actually listen to what I say but you stay sensible and don't compromise the work or our safety," Nathan instructed.

"I don't like where this is going," Rick said slowly. Daryl didn't either. The soldiers had identical smiles on their face and Daryl found it disconcerting. He was too tired and the situation wasn't life threatening enough to clear his head.

"Ok enough, we have work to do," Rick finally put his foot down. The group dissipated until it was just Mara standing there. She bent over and rested her arms on the window sill of the car looking Daryl in the eyes.

"Also? You snore."

So much for being a mother fucking hero.

It quickly became obvious what the Australians had all been hinting at.

A few days passed of quiet work before it all really started. Carl's hat went missing and reappeared on the roof beams of their common area. Daryl caught Yussuf patting Christine on the arm saying, "nice work, my little tree monkey," while Carl stared up aghast.

Somehow someone snuck some blue dye in to Elias' tea and it stained his teeth a hideous shade.

During work hours they were all business. They were putting in long hours mending holes in the prison walls and killing walkers. They were vigilant on their patrols. They took their share of the cooking and were responsible for the new pits circling the outside of the prison fence that were designed to capture walkers and prevent the Governor from driving close up to the prison except for the main route.

Daryl couldn't fault their work ethic at all but at the same time a prank war was raging. They never did anything dangerous it was just stupid shit that he would have pulled when he was a teenage boy but hell even he'd grown out of that.

He caught Carol hemming all Glenn's pants. He leaned against the cell bars. "Not you too?"

Carol looked up at him and smiled. "Yes, me too. You're not planning to dye someone's teeth yet?"

"It's stupid and a waste of time. We've got the Governor to worry about."

Carol sobered. 'Governor' was the universal safety word in the prison now. It was an instant way of snapping people out of the frivolity and getting them to talk seriously.

Carol nodded like she agreed with him but he could tell from the set of her mouth that it was a trap and she was going to say something that made this dumbass prank war seem alright.

"Listen to that," Carol requested.

"T'what?" Daryl asked.

"You hear Carl laughin'?"

"Yeah but..."

"You know what he sounds like?"

Daryl shrugged. He didn't know what the correct answer was and was sure Carol already had one in mind.

Carol patted his hand, one of the few people he trusted to touch him. "He sounds like a kid, Daryl."

Daryl screwed up his face. He knew where she was taking this now. "Life can't be just death and survival. There's gotta be fun."

"Fine but I still think it's dumb!"

Carol's smile was affectionate. "Noted." She returned to her needle and thread.

Daryl paused as he was leaving. "You should just sew the leg holes shut."

"'Atta boy," Carol said concentrating on her work.

Daryl ran down the stairs crossbow over his shoulder. He saw Nathan and Rick bent over one of the tables examining some maps.

"I can't believe you're allowin' this!" Daryl grumbled.

"They're not hurtin' anyone, Daryl," Rick said.

"They're hurtin' my sanity."

"No one has even tried to play a joke on you yet, Daryl."

Daryl supposed that was true. He hoped that most of them took him too seriously to want to demean him but he thought it was probably likely they were just scared of how explosive his reaction would be. He couldn't shake the feeling that Mara might be planning something to humiliate him.

"Don't you have guard duty?"

"Yeah," he pushed himself away from the table. He leant near Nathan's ear as he walked by. "Just so you know, you're the worst soldiers ever and I think what yer doin' is a violation of the Geneva convention."

"Probably true," Nathan agreed without looking up from the map. The sergeant was too used to his team's hijinks to care. Issues with discipline aside Nathan was a good influence on Rick. He had calmly endured Rick talking to someone that wasn't there and he'd turned his mind towards a project, gotten him focused. He had never made a snide comment about Rick's ability to lead.

Daryl had overheard Hershel thanking him and Nathan had simply said, "We don't punish people for post traumatic stress. You have all seen more hardship than any person should have to endure."

Daryl had decided then that the sergeant was maybe a man worth listening to and worth a little trust. Even if he led a team of lunatics. Over the last few days the Australians had moved in from the common area into cells of their own. They used bedding they had scrounged up from the prison to attach to the front of all the cells, creating an illusion of privacy.

He strode across the lawn to where he had spotted Mara standing on top of the over turned bus. He kinda wanted to shoot her with his crossbow. Not anywhere lethal, maybe in the thigh. Sometimes he could see why people suggested he was prone to overreacting.

"I hope you're having fun," he snarled at her.

"Not really, Maggie and Beth hid my underwear," Mara said.

Daryl opened his mouth to reply then shut it with a snap as what she said registered. He could feel a blush creeping up his neck.

Mara kept scanning the area casually.

"I ain't wana know 'bout that," Daryl said, running an uncomfortable hand through his hair and wondering why he had even initiated a conversation.

"Was there anything in particular you wanted to discuss, Daryl? You are more talkative than usual."

"Just get it over with," Daryl blurted out. "Whatever you're plannin', just do it already."

Mara looked confused. "I'm not planning anything, Daryl."

Daryl scoffed. "Right."

Mara smiled "Daryl, I'm not joking. You're not the target of any master plans."

Daryl narrowed his eyes at her. She didn't even twitch. Was she being genuine or was she just that good at bluffing? Why did he find it so hard to get an accurate read on this girl?

"Besides I don't want you to shoot me with your crossbow or anything!"

If Daryl didn't know any better he would have thought that was a knowing look. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Christ, it's hot out here," Mara complained. She stretched her arms above her head. Her shirt road up to reveal a tiny sliver of flesh and the button to her pants. Daryl's eyes went to the button and unbidden the comment about underwear flashed in his head. He blushed again and turned to stare at the walkers lazily banging at the fence. Luckily Mara didn't notice.

"How about I get us some water? Might cool down your paranoia," Mara patted his shoulder as she went by and swung down from the bus.

Daryl watched her walk away with a sway in her hips. Yeah, she definitely was planning something.

...

Christine stopped Mara as she went by.

"So what are you planning?"

"Nothing!"

"Seriously? Who are you?" Christine demanded.

"I can't do anything to Daryl. He'd hate it."

"Everyone hates it!"

"No," Mara corrected. "Everyone takes it as a joke. Daryl will take it personally. I think he's sensitive."

Christine looked at Mara like she was mental? "Have we met the same Daryl? That dude is rough. He's a hard ass."

Mara shrugged in a non committal way. She just knew that after seeing the wounded look on his face the first time she was determined to never be the one to put it back on his face. She didn't know much about Daryl but he didn't like people making fun of him. The car was one thing, everyone just happened to be milling around when they'd pulled up and he had legitimately looked cute zonked out like that.

Not that she would ever tell him that.

Christine was looking at her suspiciously. "Do you like Dixon or something?" she asked abruptly.

Mara's eyebrows shot up. "Are you serious?"

"I'm not the only one who thinks you do."

"Who else thinks that?" Mara asked sceptical that anyone had discussed anything.

"Everyone."

"What! Not everyone surely?"

"Well not everyone," Christine conceded but Mara didn't get a chance to relax. "Everyone _but_ Nathan and Rick. Can't imagine they'd encourage sending you two off alone if they thought you were going to distract him with sex."

Mara groaned. "This is ridiculous! Why would anyone think I like Daryl?"

"You're nice to him."

"I'm nothing but mean to him," Mara countered.

"Yeah but there's mean and then there's mean flirty."

"You think I flirt with the red neck with the crossbow who occasionally rocks the squirrel necklace?"

"Yeah, there's no accounting for taste at the end of the world. You know he probably likes you too."

"I sincerely doubt it," Mara protested. She paused for a second. "Why? Did he say something about me?"

Christine's knowing look made Mara hate herself for asking.

"Mara, there are two things you should know. One, your new boyfriend hardly talks and two, when he does I just don't care." She started walking away.

"He's not my boyfriend," Mara shouted at her retreating back.

Mara winced at the thought that Daryl might have heard that. She could feel his eyes burning in to the back of her and it made her uncomfortable. He had such a piercing gaze... she really needed to find her underwear.

**AN: I hope you enjoyed. I tried to show a light hearted side to life at the prison since they've all had this goal of creating a more well-rounded life. **

**On a completely unrelated note, had a surreal experience yesterday. Australians joke with foreigners about how there are kangaroos just travelling the streets (we're a hilarious bunch, didn't you know), which is usually untrue but on my drive to work traffic nearly stopped because a pack of ten were just casually hopping down the main road. Thought it was a cool moment.**

**Anywho, as always I'd love some reviews from the gorgeous people who are following this story. What you like, what you don't like, what you'd like to see more of... you can tell me with just a quick click of that review button.**

**MD 666**


	8. Chapter 8

Good thing the Greene sisters didn't really understand the spirit of pranks and returned all the clothes they had hidden, washed and cleaned as best they could.

The series of jokes eventually petered out. The oppressive threat of the Governor had worked its way back into their psyches and they were confused and grateful that he hadn't struck again.

They had cleared out more space in the prison and secured it. The holes of the prison had slowly been fortified, not with beauty or precision but whatever supplies they could find. It would hold spooks out though.

Mara and Michonne came in to the common area one evening, finished their turn on patrol. Food was already being served out and Carol passed them both a plate. Michonne sat down and started eating silently. She had said maybe two sentences the whole time they were on patrol. And Mara had though Daryl was terse.

Mara almost dropped her plate when she spotted the object of her thoughts cradling and cooing to a baby. Daryl had a bottle and was feeding Judith. Mara slid in to a seat on the opposite side of the table next to Elias.

Mara was staring at Daryl like he had grown an extra head. Elias seemed unconcerned with this development, his priority was food.

"Yer hungry, sweetheart?" Daryl had the softest expression on his face that Mara had seen yet. He seemed wholly unaware of anyone looking at the spectacle. Mara realised that nobody really was. The survivors all acted like this was nothing out of the ordinary and Mara guessed Daryl had been on baby duty a few times before this.

The sight was making Mara feel things. Horrible things - like affection for Daryl. She prayed it was just maternal instincts kicking in.

"What you staring at?" Daryl rough voice startled her. She hadn't been aware she had been staring. She just hoped her expression hadn't been too mushy.

"Not actually sure."

Daryl scowled and passed Judith off to Beth.

"You know I've never seen Beth on patrol or guard duty. Is she on permanent mummy duty?" Mara asked, using her food as an excuse to not look at Daryl.

Daryl didn't look particularly interested in having a chat with Mara but Rick said he wanted to see them when they'd finished eating so Mara figured he was stuck for the moment.

"I don't know. Suppose she's too young."

Mara looked doubtful. "She's not that much younger than me."

Daryl fixed her with a look. "How old are you?"

"Twenty," Mara answered.

"Shit, you ain't even old enough to drink yet." Daryl was taken aback. How old was she supposed to be in his head?

"Not in America maybe."

"I got an update on yer current location," Daryl drawled.

"Is this some strange new hillbilly code of ethics, this objection to underage drinking? How old are you anyway?"

"Older," he said dryly.

Mara couldn't really tell how old Daryl was. He always looked exhausted and was nearly constantly covered in a layer of dirt. She would have said around thirty.

"I'm twenty five," Elias randomly contributed. Mara had almost forgotten Elias was at the table. Whenever he was around, Daryl absorbed all of her attention. Rick walked over and took the final spare seat.

"Daryl, Mara, I want you two to go out in the forest and see if you can see any evidence of the Governor and his men. Michonne and Christine are going to head out in the opposite direction."

"The peace makin' you squirrelly?" Daryl asked.

"I don't trust it. Makes me think he's got something big planned."

"Maybe we've deterred him," Elias suggested.

"As in you _five_ soldiers?" Daryl asked.

"There's no way to be sure how many of us there are if you think about it. We rotate watches, we wear all black. From a distance we'd be hard to tell apart, with our helmets on it'd be impossible. As far as the governor knows you've got an unknown amount of people with military grade weapons."

The others considered what Elias had said.

"That's actually a good point." Rick was contemplative.

"You always were wicked smart Elias," Mara praised him with a smile.

"Fine. Tomorrow me and Mara will take an excursion." Daryl said. "See if he's been sniffin' round." He pushed himself away from the table, done with the conversation.

"It's a date," Mara called after him. He just growled and stalked off.

The next day was another stifling hot Georgia summer day. The forest was alive with crickets and birds.

It didn't deter from Daryl's ability to track. His alert eyes drifted over the ground, perplexed.

"These are human tracks," he murmured, sensing Mara just over his shoulder.

"Fresh?"

"Fresh enough. There was rain two nights back. Woulda washed these away if they were any older." Daryl stayed crouched and followed them.

Mara hung back to give him space and also to keep an eye on the surroundings. She didn't want any spooks sneaking up while Daryl was in his wild man zone.

Daryl's head snapped into the air like a hunting dog. He'd heard something. He scrambled behind a tree and Mara followed his lead. With her back against the rough bark Mara could see Daryl concealed behind his own tree.

'Stay there,' he mouthed. She could hear the voices that only Daryl's supersonic bat hearing had picked up before.

She couldn't tell how many there were and looked to Daryl again. He silently held up three fingers. Three men were out there and Mara knew they had to be the Governor's men.

"You think we're gonna find them out here?" one of the voices sounded disgruntled.

"If they're stupid enough."

Mara rested her head back against the tree. Turns out, they _were_ stupid enough. The footsteps stopped and for a while there were no sounds.

"I don't see 'em."

"Let's just head back to Woodbury. I feel like a beer and we've took down enough biters today."

There was the shuffle of leaves and the sound of retreating steps. Then there was nothing but silence. Mara went to take a step out from behind the tree but Daryl's expression kept her frozen.

They hid behind the trees for ten minutes. Daryl listening and Mara watching Daryl's body language.

Daryl nodded curtly and stepped out. There was a whistling through the air then a bullet exploded through the top of Daryl's thigh. The men were on him in an instant. They'd been bluffing; they'd known someone was out there.

Daryl raised his crossbow to take a shot but the pain forced his leg to buckle and the shot went wide. The crack of the bullet was still bouncing off the trees and Mara knew it was only a matter of time before spooks were crawling all over this area.

The Hispanic thug kicked the crossbow out of Daryl's hand and cracked a fist into his jaw.

"Where's Merle?"

At first Mara thought they asked where the girl was. She was right there frozen by the violence. But they repeated the question, complimented with a kick to the stomach that sent Daryl sprawling.

Daryl spat at their feet. "Ain't seen him, figured he was back with you dumbasses!"

Another harsh kick made Daryl cry out and spurred Mara into action. She felt an anger that shoved away all the fear. She couldn't confront them directly. They were armed and her chances weren't good of taking them all out in a fire fight before they killed her and Daryl.

The thugs were laying into Daryl, who was doing his best to block their blows. He even managed to get to his knees before a brutal hit to the head sent him onto his back.

The sounds of the scuffle had allowed Mara to creep up behind them. They were sloppy. Not even keeping an eye out for spooks. Striking like a snake Mara grabbed the forehead of one of the men and she pulled him tight to her body, drawing her sword across his throat. She had no time to think as hot blood gushed out of the gaping wound and on to her hand.

The element of surprise was lost as the second man tried to turn his gun to her but she was too close for a good shot. With a hard shove to a nerve point in the shoulder, the gun slipped out of the guy's hand.

The Hispanic one managed to rake his knife down her arm while still keeping his gun trained on Daryl who was groping in the leaves for his crossbow. It was typical male logic to view the man as the real threat and not the woman. The jacket yielded under the sharpness of the knife and left an angry, bloody cut down her bicep. Mara used her free hand to slap him hard across the ear. As he stumbled back from the disorientating pain she kicked him hard in the stomach.

She spun around just in time to catch the second man swinging his knife at her. But Mara was faster and she slammed her sword into the point between his eyes. There was more resistance than a spook skull, whose heads split like rotting fruit.

Mara had her sword up and resting in the hollow of the final man's throat before he could attack either her or Daryl again.

"This is my redneck. Get your own," Mara said evenly. Her chest heaved as adrenalin pounded through her veins but her voice was steady.

The man was cautious as his eyes slid up the length of Mara's bloody sword.

"Give me your gun."

The man handed it over with only a second of hesitation.

"I'll let you keep your knife because I want you to pass a message along to your boss and you can't do that if you get eaten. Tell him to back the fuck off!"

"Who are you?"

"We're here to keep the peace," Mara answered.

"We didn't ask for no peace keepin'!"

Mara slid her sword up his throat, just lightly brushing the skin until she reached his chin and tilted it up.

"Then consider it an invasion. Now fuck off."

He took a tentative step back from the end of the blade and when Mara didn't lunge after him he took off running. He knew what she did; that this clearing was going to become infested with spooks soon. She could already hear their throaty gurgles closing in.

As soon as the henchman was out of sight, Mara ran to Daryl, falling to her knees next to him. She panicked when she saw his eyes were closed. Mara dropped the gun and sword, using one hand to check his pulse and the other to shake him. She left two bloody finger prints on his throat.

His pulse was steady and he opened two bleary eyes at her. One of his pupils was noticeably larger than the other.

"Shit! Daryl, I need you to focus. I think you have a concussion."

Mara saw the first spook appear at the tree line. Tongue darting out as if it could taste blood already. There was no time to be gentle. She shoved both her arms under Daryl's from behind and heaved.

He was heavier than he looked. With a groan from each of them they got his feet under him. Mara sheathed her sword and quickly slung the crossbows over her shoulder. Daryl wouldn't forgive her if she left it. Mara ducked under his arm again using her strength to support him.

"We've got to move!" Mara could hear the hysteria seeping in to her voice and it must have reached Daryl too because he started limping.

One of the spooks got too close and Mara shot it. It fell instantly but the gun shot had acted as a beacon to pin point their location.

Mara was running, taking as much of Daryl's weight as she could. She wasn't sure she could make it but an image of him holding the baby flooded her mind and pushed her on. Those people had lost enough. They couldn't afford to lose Daryl too.

Mara almost sobbed with relief when she saw the prison gates but there was no time. She started hollering to get their attention. Fingertips brushed her back and Daryl broke away from her hold and knifed two spooks that Mara hadn't seen get that close.

She didn't know when he had pulled his knife out or how he managed to kill both of them. He sunk to his knees exhausted after exerting himself. The pack was too close to haul him to his feet again and Mara began picking them off with her gun. She had no idea how many bullets were left.

And then she wasn't standing along. Nathan, Carl and Rick were on either side of her, holding them off with their guns. Yussuf and Glenn grabbed Daryl under the arms and started dragging him back towards the safety of the prison.

There was a break in the spooks and the four remaining ran for the prison. As the fence slid shut behind them, encasing them in safety, Mara sank to her knees herself.

Half an hour later she was seated on a chair staring absently at the wall. Hershel said Daryl would be fine and Mara was relieved.

She couldn't move from her seat. Now that she had stopped fighting she felt stunned. It all caught up with her in a rush.

Nathan kneeled in front of her to catch her eyes.

"You alright Mara?"

"Fine, Sarge." She sounded detached and she knew it.

He picked up one of her hands which were still caked in blood. "What did you do, Mara?" Nathan had a wet rag with him and he started to wipe her hands clean while he waited for her answer.

She eventually refocused her attention. "They were going to kill him," she said hoarsely.

Nathan flicked his eyes up to her face. Her hands were still in his.

"I know we weren't supposed to take sides but..." Mara trailed off. How did she articulate that she had chosen Daryl's life over two strangers' lives? That in the end it wasn't even a choice? A single tear ran down her cheek.

"You protected a friend, Mara." Nathan squeezed her hand and walked away to give Mara some privacy.

He pretended not to hear as the first sob escaped her throat.

**AN: I had a few Martinez thug moments and then he had to get some character dimensions last episode. How inconvenient! But I will try and rework that in to later chapters. Thanks to everyone stopping by to read and review. **

**I hope that the action sequence was believable and Mara didn't stray into Mary-Sue territory. Enjoy the episode tonight everybody. **

**MD 666**


	9. Chapter 9

_Eight months ago, Australian Outback_

Mara groaned.

"Another letter?" Christine asked from her bunk.

"Yeah, it's like he doesn't understand we broke up." Mara had broken up with Eric when she enlisted. She just didn't feel they were compatible and being the army wasn't really conducive to being in a relationship, especially given the circumstance. He had not taken it well and often wrote her pining letters. Mara had been sympathetic, and even flattered, at first but now the triad was wearing thin.

She didn't even think it was because he liked her over much but because Eric, doctor in training, had never had a woman leave him before. Mara might have stayed with him for an indeterminate amount of time if the world hadn't ended.

"Ease up Mara, you crushed the poor dude," Yussuf said. That wasn't strictly true. Mara had ended it as kindly as she could but Yussuf's words still stung. Mara didn't like the idea of hurting anyone/

Mara shot him a withering look. "What are you even doing here Yussuf? This is the women's bunk!"

He shrugged, "Just hanging with my gals."

"Well any advice on how to get rid of clingy guys who don't know when they aren't wanted?" Mara asked crumpling the letter and throwing it at Yussuf's head. He dodged the projectile with ease.

"Well you gotta- Oh I see what you did there. Clever." Yussuf was waggling his finger at Mara.

"But ultimately ineffective," Christine added.

"I'm persistent." Yussuf shrugged.

Mara cracked a smile a reluctant smile at Yussuf. He was an idiot but he was actually growing on her. Which was a good thing since there would come a time when she'd have to trust him with her life.

_Present day, Georgia_

The first time Daryl opened his eyes, he could see a hazy image of Hershel standing over him.

"It was a mild concussion; I think he'll be fine."

Daryl was glad of that because he was exhausted. He fell back to sleep immediately.

The second time he woke up his hand was tightly gripped. His eyes found Carol's and it was clear she'd been crying. She gave him a weak smile and Daryl wanted to reassure her but he couldn't find the energy or the words so he went back to sleep.

The third time he woke up his whole body felt like he'd been hit by a truck. The wound in his leg ached but his face and torso throbbed with pain too.

"How are you feeling?"

He noticed Mara sitting in a chair close to him. She leaned over to get a better look at his face. Her expression was serious and concerned. What had happened to him to make the women fuss like this?

Mara had a large white bandage on her bicep.

"You 'k?" His voice was hoarse from lack of use.

"Yeah, Hershel stitched me up good."

Daryl's memories of the incident came flooding back. How they had tried to beat Merle's whereabouts out of him. How Mara had saved him. "'M sorry for what happened. It was my brother they was searchin' for."

"Hey, don't worry about it."

He must have looked like shit if Mara was talking to him so gentle like.

"You got a brother that ever get you into trouble like this?"

"My brother?" Mara said with a laugh. "My family is amazing and very normal." Her voice trailed off and Daryl didn't know if it was because she was apologetic that his family was awful or if she was missing her folks. Probably both.

Daryl could see the red under her finger nails. She hadn't quite scrubbed them clean. She saw where his eyes were and self consciously tucked her hands under her arms.

"It was the first time I've killed anyone that wasn't already dead," she confessed. For a second she wouldn't meet his eyes but then she did and her stare was defiant. "They deserved it."

Daryl felt something twist in his gut that had nothing to do with being kicked there repeatedly. This new world was stealing innocence left, right and centre.

His thigh itched and he felt hot like his skin was on fire and complained as much.

Mara leaned forward unexpectedly and put her palm gently on his cheek. Her skin felt cool against his.

"You have a fever. Hershel said your body might be fighting an infection."

Mara moved off her chair to sit on the bed next to him and lay her second hand on his forehead. He closed his eyes. The coolness of her hands felt amazing on his face.

"Yeah you're burning up, alright." She reached down and picked up a pill bottle. She shook two white pills into her hand.

"Paracetamol. Two should ease the fever."

Daryl put the two pills in his mouth. Mara helped lift his head to drink some water when it became apparent he had little strength of his own. She did it without asking for permission and made no comment, so his pride was salvaged. He would have pushed her away but that would have required a strength that he just didn't have.

She wiped away a tiny drop of water on his chin. Daryl had never been looked after when he was sick as a kid. His mother had been too drunk or too dead and his father had never won any awards for his parenting. And here was Mara, being kind to him.

"Sleep now. You'll be on your feet in no time, annoying the crap out of me again."

Well, almost kind. Every time he'd opened his eyes someone he knew had been standing there, interested in his well being, fighting for his survival. He may have felt like shit but that was a good feeling to fall asleep with.

After a week though he was going stir crazy. He was under strict orders to take it easy so his leg would heal properly. Luckily the bullet had cut clean through the top of his thigh and there wasn't any muscle damage. But still, there were only so many card games he could play with Carl, Beth or Carol before he started to consider slitting his wrists with the jack of spades.

To make matters worse they couldn't afford to waste any more painkillers on him once his fever had dropped. It meant he wasn't sleeping well and he was twice as grumpy as usual. Carol offered to smuggle him a few extra but he stoically declined. In this world it was only a matter of time before someone was badly hurt and needed them again for something much worse than an achy leg.

He was in the middle of a fitful sleep one night when commotion outside his bunk woke him up. He quickly pulled himself to the opening of his cell, cursing emphatically his damaged leg.

"What's goin' on?" he called. Rick was by his side in seconds.

"The Governors men are inside," Rick hissed.

"Shit!"

Nathan appeared by their side. "Yussuf and Elias caught them sneaking in. They're going for a more of a subtle approach."

"What's the plan?" Hershel asked, concerned. Everyone was appearing in the opening of their cells, hair ruffled by sleep but eyes alert and fearful.

"We need to lead them away from here. We'll get 'em to follow us to the tombs."

Carol gasped, "That's suicide."

"The tombs are over run," Glenn said softly.

Rick ran a hand over his mouth. "I know. It's a risk we have to take. Hopefully the amount of walkers will deter them."

"Kill them," Christine corrected.

Rick nodded brusquely. "Me, Nathan, the soldiers, Glenn, Maggie and Carol, we'll lead them down."

"The fuck?" Daryl snapped. "You're not going anywhere without me."

Rick grabbed Daryl's arm and pulled him away. "You can't run on that leg. You'll get yourself killed. 'Sides I need you here with Carl and Hershel to protect Judith and these cells."

Rick was intense and he was using his leadership voice that tolerated no argument.

"Fine," Daryl hissed.

"Get your weapons. You have two minutes," Rick instructed.

Daryl felt furious to his core. Maggie, Glenn and Rick could hold their own. The Australians were soldiers. Carol was no fighter though. Sure she'd stepped up and become a tough little survivalist in the last nine months but she still needed protecting. Daryl couldn't stand the idea of her going out there without him watching her back. The last time he had let her out of his sight it had ended with him thinking she was dead. He had already used up one miracle finding her alive. He didn't think he'd get another one. Carol was the one who had pulled him into the group in the first place and he would not lose her.

Mara came running down the stairs pulling on her jacket which now had a slash down her upper arm where skin showed through. He reached out and seized her wrist.

"Look after her," he demanded gruffly. He didn't like admitting he cared about anyone but this night wasn't the time for any of his personal issues.

Mara met his eyes and nodded wordlessly. Then she was gone, following the others out the door. Carl locked it behind them then retreated further in so they couldn't be spotted easily by someone snooping.

He didn't know when he had started trusting Mara to look after one of the people dearest to Daryl. Probably after he got shot and she had fended of walkers and henchmen before practically dragging him to safety.

When he heard the first shots, he clenched his fists and hoped he had made the right decision.

...

When the action really began Mara didn't know who was a friend or foe. At first they could only distinguish between dead and alive.

The generators they had found were giving in and the lights over head were flickering madly and Mara had the insane notion that it wasn't that different from a night club.

At one point two spooks had her against a wall and she had dropped her sword. Glenn was suddenly throwing her a bat and Mara was beating both their skulls in to pulp.

And they kept pushing further, pulling the Governor's men deeper into the pit of the prison. The corridors switched from light to dark like an internal lightening show and each time the scene was illuminated she tried to kill the closest thing to her, slowing only enough to ensure it wasn't one of theirs at the end of the knife.

The next clear moment was having Maggie at her back. The generators were steady for a few minutes straight and while Maggie fended off the spooks, Mara focused on killing the Governor's men.

There were less of them now. They hadn't expected Rick's people to lead them into a pit of spooks and their bodies were now being feasted on by spooks that had dodged their own execution.

In one joyous moment, Mara realised they were retreating. Until she saw something frantically struggling between the arms of two men. At first Mara was confused and thought that they had captured a spook. Mara's heart plummeted as she saw that despite the feral animalistic struggled reminiscent of a spook they had Carol.

Mara launched herself after them. She had left her knife in the last spook she had stabbed; it was stuck under a decaying ear somewhere on the ground. She would kill them barehanded if she had to.

She used her forearm to block a swipe from the first knife and pushed him against the wall. Mara didn't have the strength or the time to strangle him and without further thought she slammed his head back against the wall. There was a sickening crack.

Mara felt a pain in her stomach and looked down to see a knife had been sunk into her hip. She observed this with a kind of detached ferocity. It hurt but not that much. Mara snapped the man's head back again and she could see blood. He slumped to the ground dead. Mara yanked the knife out of her side with a grunt.

Carol had seen her coming and renewed her resisting. She was slowing them down for Mara to catch up. Mara grabbed the next closest man. He hesitated seeing the hate in her eyes and the blood splattered across her face. Mara seized his wrist, drawing his arm out and brought her own elbow down hard on his. She heard bone break with satisfaction. He tried to reel away from her but Mara was too quick and she drove the heel of her palm up under his nose. She used all the force she had, swinging her whole body into the impact.

The man fell to the ground, Mara didn't know if he was stunned or if she'd managed to wedge a shard of bone into his brain. She stepped over him without a second thought.

The next one she confronted was ready for her and had his gun trained at her heart. What he hadn't counted on was Carol getting her hands free and snatching up a bat. Carol aimed for the man's head but his friend grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back. The blow landed heavily on the man's back and he staggered forward. Mara side stepped and, grabbing the back of his shirt, used his own momentum to fling him to the spooks that had been following the trail of carnage. His screams tore through the air.

Up ahead Mara watched Carol summon all her strength, wrenching herself free. She had a knife in her hand, one that she stolen from her captor. Carol plunged it into his chest with both hands. She tugged it out and slid it back in a second time. That man died with a look of surprise on his face. He had picked Carol as the easy target and he'd been so wrong. The rest were fleeing.

As Mara stood next to gorging spooks she had a thought that this night they were allies and they had defended their territory.

It didn't stop her from executing them all the same once she had looked Carol over and realised that most of the wounds were superficial.

"We need to get back where it's safe," Rick called. "There are more walkers comin.'"

Maggie was leaning against a wall exhausted. Nathan coaxed her away with a few encouraging words and they were moving again. Glenn and Yussuf were bringing up the rear. At some point Mara had grabbed Carol's hand. Their hands were slick with blood and gore, and Mara didn't know whether she was holding Carol's hand so she didn't lose her or for comfort.

The closer they got to their safe haven, the more the adrenalin wore off and Mara started to feel the pain of her injuries. She knew she didn't look any worse than any other person in their group and it was a miracle no one had been killed. At some point, Mara didn't know when, but it switched from Mara dragging Carol along to Carol leading Mara.

Carl's voice greeted them. He flung open the cell in an instant and ran into his father's arms. Hershel gathered them all in checking for injuries as he went.

Daryl was just suddenly standing in front of them with a look of extreme relief on his face. Mara's heart sped up a little more. But he walked straight past Mara and began examining Carol for the source of all the blood.

"I told you t'be careful!" he was scolding, but his heart wasn't in it. His gruffness was undermined by his palpable relief.

Watching him being so tender with Carol, Mara experienced a sensation she hadn't expected to when she first met Daryl Dixon. Jealousy.

**AN: Howdy everybody! More action scenes because I'm trying to perfect my writing of them. I have a back ground in martial arts but it is one thing to see it in your head and another to describe it. I have made the epically hard decision to wait for the final three episodes of TWD to air before watching them all together in one mini marathon. It feels like a dagger to my heart and I have to dodge spoilers all around, so I have a pile of fanfic notifications in my inbox and I can't read them at the risk something will be revealed. So if everyone could keep that in mind when they review – all two of you I mean :p Wish me luck on my TWD fast!**

**MD666**


	10. Chapter 10

Daryl didn't know how he ended up in this conversation; he had just sat down to eat when Nathan and Rick took seats on either side of him.

He'd just gotten in from his first turn back on guard since he had been shot. Hershel had cleared him and Daryl was disproportionately happy to be allowed back to his old tasks instead of being cooped up inside like a child.

Whenever he got in to the flow of a full on rage about his bed rest, Carol would be there with her stupid doe eyes, using logic and feelings to make him listen to doctors orders.

Didn't matter how much he protested it was barely a scrape. Or that the concussion had barely lasted twenty four hours. Or that the kicking probably hadn't resulted in internal injuries. Probably.

Daryl even got a little interested when he realised Mara was being ordered to take it easy too. Normally obsessed with his own solitude, he'd come to crave human company. He was stuck in the cell and everyone else could come and go as they please.

But Mara was always sleeping or on her way somewhere else. Daryl begun to get the sense she was avoiding him but he hadn't indulged in any of his typical behaviours women found offensive so he didn't get it. The last time she skirted past him, mumbling something about 'busy' and evading his eyes Daryl had given up. Stupid bitch, he was just getting cabin fever if he wanted to hang out with her.

Daryl realised Rick and Nathan were talking about striking back at the Governor. This stunned him. They'd been pretty adamant about their wait-and-see approach. This latest attack had hit them where it hurt. Those men had come in to their home and threatened their people. That was the last line to cross.

Daryl couldn't be more eager to jump into a fight. He had some unfinished business with the Governor and his whole organisation.

Rick and Nathan were more cautious.

"Shit, guy's an asshole. Let's just ride in, guns ablazin'" Daryl suggested. "He won't expect that."

Rick shook his head patiently. 'We can't. We took too much damage in the last attack. We need to recover."

"I ain't an invalid!" Daryl snapped.

"You're not fitting fit either," Nathan pointed out. "Besides it's not just you. Mara and Carol are shaken up after the other night."

Rick was sombre. "I don't like to think what could have happened to Carol if Mara hadn't reached her. Thank god she was watchin' out for her."

"Didn't do such a great job of it," Daryl said petulantly, thinking unfairly of the blood on Carol and the cold shoulder he'd been receiving.

"She got stabbed in a bone to save her." Nathan's face was stoic but Daryl got the message loud and clear. _Be careful what you say about my soldiers_. Nathan's calm and casual attitude was misleading. He took the welfare of his team very seriously.

"Wasn't that bad," he mumbled but he dropped his attention to his food. He didn't want the sergeant's intense stare on him anymore.

"Speaking of Mara, what she did was pretty amazing. She fights like a-"

"Thug?" Nathan supplied.

"Not the word I'd use but yes, she was brutal. Are all of you that good?" Rick pressed.

"We can all more than hold our own," Nathan answered, sensing that Rick was leading somewhere with this line of questioning. Daryl could sense it too and was getting an ominous feeling.

"I think we could all stand to get better ourselves, just in case we get stuck without our weapons," Rick suggested.

Nathan nodded. "I can set up a lesson. Mara's the best at hand to hand; she can lead it if that's agreeable with you."

Rick said, "That's fine," at the same time Daryl snorted and said, "She's the best?"

Daryl didn't know what was wrong with him. He'd seen her fight before and she was more than good but something about how she was acting recently was putting Daryl out of sorts.

"You think you can beat her?" Nathan asked.

Daryl looked at him like he was crazy. "Yeah, pretty confident I could."

Nathan leaned forward putting his chin on his hands. There was a smile on his face Daryl didn't like. "Okay then."

Daryl still didn't know what the Australian had planned the next day as they stood on the grassy field in the warm heat of the late afternoon.

The soldiers were running through a series of moves that they thought could be helpful if they were ever backed into a corner with no weapons.

Despite their supposed proficiency, the moves were simple and basic. Nothing Daryl hadn't learnt through hard experience in bar fights. They were encouraging them to play to their strengths, especially the women.

"Men can be faster and they can be stronger but that doesn't mean they necessarily will win," Mara was saying. "If he's solid, be quicker. If he's quicker, be more flexible. If he's stronger, be smarter!"

Daryl tried not to roll his eyes at the obvious girl power speech. Sometimes he forgot the majority of the group was female now. He spotted Carol nodding along almost subconsciously. Mara's words were hitting a nerve with Carol, he realised. For someone who had felt powerless her whole life, the concept of self defence must have been appealing. Daryl tried not to feel grumpy; he didn't know why she needed to know anything. He'd protect her when there was danger.

Yussuf started walking them through a list of pressure points that would be useful to hit and Daryl was grudgingly interested in that. He had a raw fighting ability but he admitted that a greater understanding of the human anatomy couldn't hurt.

It was settling into dusk in no time at all. The time had passed mostly with the Australians explaining and talking. Nathan promised to let them try things out in another lesson tomorrow. There was no point in practising in the dark; someone was going to get an accidental fist in their face.

"There's just one last thing before we get back to our business," Nathan said. Daryl's shoulders tensed at the change of tone.

"Mara, I hate to say this but you've been challenged to a duel." Nathan straight face barely concealed his amusement. Daryl was glaring daggers at the sergeant. That hadn't been what he meant at all!

"What are you talking about, Sarge?" Mara was sitting on the ground next Maggie.

"Daryl thinks you're an average fighter. So I thought you guys could have a little square off. Clear the air."

Mara looked confused. "I just got stabbed."

"Just a quick round."

Mara blinked. "... I just got stabbed!"

"He just got shot," Nathan countered. "You'll be on even footing."

Mara looked from Nathan to Rick, her eyes speculative and suspicious. "Yeah, this seems legit." Her tone was sarcastic and she had clearly picked up on the fact they had a hidden agenda.

She looked up at Daryl and then immediately dropped her gaze, as if realizing that she wasn't supposed to be looking at him at the moment. "Fine," she agreed with detachment.

She pushed herself to her feet and brushed dirt off herself. Daryl was still wondering how he'd gotten tricked into fighting Mara. He didn't want to fight a woman, especially not one that had just been, as Mara so helpfully pointed out, stabbed recently. He didn't want to hurt Mara full stop.

Mara and Daryl stood awkwardly facing each other. Daryl realised he didn't know how to start a fight. Normally his temper was running hot and he just launched himself into a fray. This time he had nothing to really motivate him.

They threw some half hearted punches at each other, they were slow and blocked with casual flicks of the wrist. Daryl knew they were just replicating the techniques they had been shown earlier and it was very likely embarrassing to watch.

Nathan groaned. "This is pathetic."

"I don't want to hurt her."

"I don't want to hurt him."

They had both spoken at the same time.

Mara's eyes were narrowed. "You think you'd beat me?" she demanded.

Yussuf chuckled, "Idiot."

"C'mon, you're just a girl and I'm ready for ya."Daryl hadn't meant to sound arrogant but he believed he could beat Mara. He had the superior strength and he was willing to put bets on the fact he was meaner than she could ever be.

"You're such a prick," Mara exclaimed.

Daryl opened his mouth to say something cocky but never got the chance. Mara drove her knee hard into his stomach.

He reeled back and doubled over. Mara had taken a more defensive position and her eyes were hard.

"You bitch," he wheezed out.

"Bring it on, red neck!"

"I ain't hitting you. I don't want any one accusin' me of woman beating." He was scowling now.

"Consider this a free pass."

As soon as he was upright Mara was there, punching him lightly on the upper chest. Daryl knew enough about boxing to know those hits weren't intended to hurt but to taunt him into action.

It was working, Daryl could feel his temper boiling to the surface. Everything about Mara got under his skin and he wanted it out of his system. Daryl caved and threw a swing punch at Mara's face. It missed Mara. She just wasn't where he was aiming any more.

Daryl swore, he'd forgotten how damned fast she was. The next minute was Daryl trying to land hits and Mara dancing out of the way. The worst thing was he knew what she was doing. She was wearing him out with his full on offensive. He was breathing heavily and Mara was barely sweating. She was wily as a fox.

By pure chance he got her hard in the shoulder. Mara stopped darting and slammed a kick squarely into his sternum. Daryl could tell that her own temper was getting the better of her too. There was less training and more rage in that last kick.

Daryl was beginning to get the sense that his size and strength wasn't giving him the advantage he was hoping for. Her words ran through his mind. _Be faster, be smarter_!

The next kick was aimed at his head but he saw it coming and he tackled into her. They went sprawling into the dust and Daryl heard the breath woosh out of her on impact. He hoped he'd winded her.

For a second Mara was on her back and Daryl had the advantage. He was between her legs restricting her movement. Mara wriggled back and her constant movement was forcing his grip to loosen. When she had enough room to manoeuvre she kicked him away using both her feet in his hips. Daryl fell back on his ass before scrambling to his feet. Mara pulled herself upright quickly too.

This time when Mara came at him he rushed to meet her. He threw a punch at her that Mara swept out of the way with an arm jarring block but she didn't release his arm. Instead she wrapped her own around his, holding him in place and before Daryl could process what was happening she was using her leg to sweep his out from under him.

He fell to the ground and Mara followed. She was straddling him, her arm pressed into his throat.

Daryl's feelings were tumultuous. Part of him was furious at her showing him up and beating him in front of all of his friends. Another part of him was aware that the length of her body was pressed hard against his to keep him down. His breathing was fast and laboured and so was hers.

Mara's face was triumphant but then that look faded as she took stock of the situation.

"Daryl, I'm sorry," she murmured, "I got carried away."

Daryl could feel his hackles rising. He shoved her off brusquely. The fight may have fled from Mara but Daryl had decided that embarrassment had won out. He didn't look at any of the spectators who had gone quiet. He didn't need to to know that they were looking at him like he was a loser who had got beat by a girl.

He stalked off to lick his wounds. He was almost at the prison when he heard someone call his name. It was Mara. He doubled his pace; didn't the stupid bitch know when to leave well enough alone?

He was in the corridors of the prison but Mara had run to catch him.

"Daryl, Wait."

He kept walking.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" He spat over his shoulder. 'I'm back where I started, everyone laughin' at me."

"No one was laughing at you," Mara sounded breathless and desperate. She was getting closer.

Daryl slammed into their cell block and snorted. "Yeah right."

"They weren't," Mara insisted. "No one here would mock you just because you weren't perfect at everything."

Daryl ignored her. She was the worst of them all.

"Would you look at me?" Mara demanded. She was right behind him but he still didn't turn around or answer.

"Fine," Mara exhaled frustrated. "Let's go round two. An opportunity to win back your honour right here and now!"

Daryl spun to face her, out raged at her audacity to keep pestering him.

Mara's smaller hands twisted in the front of his shirt and Daryl braced himself for another onslaught. She jerked him down and pressed her lips to his.

Daryl was stunned. Mara was still against his lips, not breaking the contact but not pushing for much more. When Daryl didn't back away, Mara stepped into the kiss. The front of her body pressed against his and her hands relaxed in his shirt.

Daryl wasn't sure what to do next. He'd kissed girls before but nothing like this, always drunk behind a bar. He wasn't fond of the memories. There was nothing sexy about those sloppy moments or those tacky women.

Mara sensed his indecision and took control. Her hands slid up to his hair pulling him in closer. Her tongue ran the length of his lips. Daryl tentatively met her tongue with his own. When Mara responded with a moan against his mouth he wrapped his arms around her waist.

The fury was transforming into something else entirely and it over rode his hesitation. He kissed Mara back with a bruising force. Daryl walked her back until she was shoved up against the closest wall. He knew he was being rough with her but Mara didn't protest. The throaty sounds she was making was sending all Daryl's blood rushing south.

He brought his calloused hands up to cup her face, feeling her soft skin under his palms. Her fingers were running up and down his upper arms in a teasing motion that was driving him crazy.

Daryl bit down on her lower lip gently. Mara's hands were at his lower back and then they slipped under his shirt on to his bare skin. Daryl froze.

Mara pulled away to look at him. She looked dazed and her lips were swollen.

"What do you want from me, Mara?" his voice was hoarse. His heart was pounding in his chest from her intoxicating closeness and the fear that she had very nearly discovered all the scars that lined his back. Then she would have looked at him with pity.

"Everyone's outside, maybe we could..." Mara let her voice trail off but it was clear what she was suggesting.

Daryl hadn't had many sexual advances made towards him. And definitely not from women like Mara. No smart, beautiful, confident woman had ever wasted five minutes even finding out his name let alone offering him sex. It was too good to be true.

Which meant it wasn't. Daryl's face shut down. This must have been Mara's idea of a cruel joke. She probably thought it was fun to rile Daryl up just to turn him down.

He stepped away from her. "Are you kiddin'?"

Mara looked confused.

"'Cause I wouldn't do that with you if you were the last woman alive." He pushed past her and kept walking, following the path he'd just taken. He needed fresh air. He wanted the scent and taste of Mara out of his mind.

**AN: Today is my birthday so I'll dedicate this chapter to myself and all the people out there reading it. Feel free to be emotionally blackmailed into reviewing because of the special day. I am particularly fond of the end of this chapter. I'm introducing my brother to Walking Dead – it's been fun to rewatch episodes. **


	11. Chapter 11

Mara's stomach dropped at his last words and she let him walk by her without trying to stop him.

She could feel the flush in her cheeks shift from excitement to mortification.

She'd just been rejected by Daryl.

Mara had to admit she hadn't been planning on kissing him but it had just happened. She had gotten so caught up in the fight and then she realised she was straddling him and his hard body was beneath her. His eyes were heated and it was so easy to confuse anger with sex.

Besides she thought they got along in a weird unique way and she found his raw masculinity attractive.

Mara buried her face in her hands and groaned. How stupid had she been?

She managed to avoid Daryl for the rest of the night. The next morning she went running with Christine and Maggie joined them.

When they were finished they stood in a circle, stretching out their tired muscles.

"So are you gonna say what's wrong?" Christine asked.

Mara shrugged. "Nothing is wrong."

Christine scoffed. "You've been acting off all morning." Maggie nodded her confirmation.

"It's super embarrassing. I don't want to talk about it."

She had said the wrong thing. The other women leaned in closer, intrigued by what had happened.

"Is it too late to change my answer to period cramps?"

"Spill. Now." Maggie instructed.

"Ok but you two can't tell anyone." Mara pointed at both of them to emphasis her point. Christine nodded and Maggie mimed crossing her heart.

"I kissed Daryl last night," she confessed. Mara winced when Maggie and Christine let out gasping noises.

"Settle down, he rejected me," Mara bit out.

"What?"

"Yeah, he seemed into it and I offered to, you know, then he sorta yelled at me and walked away."

Maggie shook her head. "And they say women are the crazy ones."

"It's fine. I've just gotta avoid him for a couple of days to process the humiliation."

The women paused their girl talk at the arrival of Nathan. Mara was sad. Sure the subject matter had been depressing but there was something wonderfully normal standing there with her friends bitching about a boy.

"Mara, we need you to make a run into towns with Daryl today. Hit up any hunting stores you can find. We need more weapons."

"Aw c'mon! Are you kidding me?" Mara cried.

Nathan looked confused. "What's going on?" He asked slowly.

"Nothing, you're just trying to ruin my life is all," Mara snapped and brushed passed him.

As she walked away she could hear Nathan say, "I don't understand what happened."

"Don't worry about it Sarg. She's just working through some _frustrations._"

Mara turned around to flip off Christine, who just finger waved back at her.

She found Daryl leaning against the car, scuffing the toe of his shoe in the dirt. His posture was defensive. "What took you so long?" he demanded aggressively.

Mara held up one finger to silence him. The sound of his voice made her want to curl up into a ball or punch him in the face. She walked around to the other side of the car and slammed the door shut behind her.

Daryl was in a foul mood too and the radiating hostility was creating a tension in the car. Daryl drove a little faster than he should of but Mara didn't care. She'd be damned if she was talking to the idiot. He'd made it perfectly clear what he thought of her.

They made it to a neighbouring town without incident and when they got out it was with great effort the Mara redirected her thoughts to the work at hand. She couldn't afford to make a rash decision because it might get her killed.

Daryl was less in control of his bad temper. He kicked open the door to the hunting shop and loose glass shards shattered to the floor. Mara winced. "Be careful!"

Daryl headed straight to the archery section and began shoving supplies into a bag. Mara scanned the shop for spooks since Daryl seemed unconcerned with them.

As he left, he threw a bag to Mara hard. She caught it but the impact threw her back a bit and she glared at his retreating back. They stuffed the bags in the car and Daryl headed off to the supermarket without so much as a word or a cursory glance up and down the street.

Mara followed at a wary distance, not trusting this Daryl at all.

"What are we doing in here?" Mara dared asked.

"Gettin' food supplies," Daryl answered. "You hit your head of somethin'?"

Mara had had enough. She moved around him to block his path. Daryl laughed meanly and went to step around her but she grabbed both of his arms.

"What the fuck is your problem?"

Daryl jerked out of her grasp. "My problem? You're my problem."

"What the hell did I do?" Mara demanded.

Daryl was getting more agitated. They had to resolve this quick or he was likely to do something stupid and dangerous.

"You think it's funny to mess with people."

"I'm really not following you?" and she wasn't. Mara had no idea what Daryl was saying.

"Last night," he growled. "You took your stupid pranks one step too far."

Mara was floored. It dawned on her suddenly what he was talking about.

"You think I kissed you and offered you sex as a joke?"

Daryl blushed. He couldn't even talk about kissing without going a flaming red. He turned his attention to the closest shelf. "Why else would you?"

Mara couldn't believe she was having this conversation.

"Because I'm attracted to you."

Mara saw Daryl's shoulders tense. He thought she was making fun of him again. Who had damaged Daryl so badly that he couldn't believe a woman would find him attractive?

"I'm serious. You're a good fighter, you're a decent guy and you have nice arms." Mara couldn't help smiling at the last part.

Daryl finally looked at her and his eyes were still mistrustful.

Mara sighed. "Look Daryl, I don't know why you're obsessed with the idea I'm out to humiliate you. I'm not."

Daryl was becoming less self-protective and started to relax. "So that was a genuine offer?"

Mara wanted to shake him. _Yes_, she wanted to say, _I like you. I've liked you for a while now. _But she didn't say that. She certainly didn't want to confess to having a crush on Daryl. That admission would likely have him running for the hills. She's only just acknowledged it herself within the last few minutes.

"I was just suggesting we have some casual, string free fun at the end of the world. After all we could be dead tomorrow," is what she did say. Mara wished she was braver but even though she knew the reasons he had turned her down, it didn't make it hurt any less.

"Oh," was all Daryl could say. Mara got the sense that sex was low down on the list of things Daryl could discuss confidently, he was too self-conscious and insecure. That much was evident.

"'Oh' indeed," Mara said with a smile. "So now that we've established I wasn't using my vagina as a sneaky trap to disgrace you, you think we can be friends again?"

The blush that had been fading roared back into life. "Only if you promise not to say that word again." He staunched off into the aisles and Mara resisted the urge to yell 'vagina' at his back.

She did roll her eyes when he called back, "c'mon we're wastin' daylight."

...

Daryl was still a bit surprised by what Mara had said. She wanted to have sex with him. He could only imagine the things Merle would say if he knew.

Merle would tell him to stop being a pussy and fuck her silly, she was hot for it. But he couldn't do that. He liked Mara. The realisation stopped him in his tracks.

Somehow she had wormed her way into his affections and he considered her as part of the group. She was a friend and that was the problem. Daryl didn't know much but he knew you weren't supposed to go around having sex with your friends.

If he was honest with himself, Mara was a bit more than a friend and he thought having sex with her would mean something. Which was another reason to avoid going there, full stop.

Besides Mara had set the boundaries. No strings and just fun. They were just friends. He turned around to see where his _friend_ had gotten to. She was reaching up to one of the higher shelves to grab something he couldn't see. The raised arms exposed that same slice of flesh he'd seen before. Now he knew firsthand how soft her skin was. He couldn't help but think of her sprawled on top of him, of her hungry lips on his.

He quickly averted his gaze. He could feel his body reacting to those thoughts. This wasn't the time or place. He was jealous of her easy way of talking about sex. The thought of having a rational conversation about it made Daryl cringe.

He was walking through the alcohol section when on impulse he grabbed a bottle of bourbon. Hell, he'd save it for a rainy day. He'd earned one night of drunken oblivion after all the shit they'd been through in the last year.

They piled up the car with a much smaller haul than last time. They'd managed to scrounge up a little bit more petrol which would keep them going.

The ride home was comfortable. There was no more angry tension in the car.

When they got back to the prison Daryl noticed Maggie and Christine giving him speculative looks and he wondered how much Mara had told them. He kept forgetting that Mara wasn't a closed off private person and didn't have the same issues sharing what happened in her life with people.

He wished she'd kept that one under wraps though. In retrospect after how curt he'd been with Mara he definitely would have come across as the bad guy.

Christine evidently thought so as she fixed him with one of her cool stares.

The next day he rolled out of bed to go on patrol. He was very nearly happy to be going out with Mara. He went down to the table where Carol and Mara were sitting next to each other. Carol was saying something that was making Mara laugh. As an instinct Daryl wondered if he was the topic of discussion but he shook it off. After talking to Mara yesterday he was going to have to stop leaping to the conclusion that people were making fun of him.

"You ready for a day out in the woods?" he asked as he sat down next to Mara.

Mara paused with a spoon to her mouth. "I thought Rick told you. He's asked me to go with Glenn to fiddle with the generators."

"Nice that he feels a need to keep me informed," Daryl grumbled.

"Actually I got to get going." She shovelled a few more mouthfuls of food in on top of each other. "Catch ya," she said, giving everyone a clear view of the contents of her mouth.

"You're disgustin'," Daryl called after her. He noticed there was still food in her bowel. "And wasteful," he added dragging the food over and taking the spoon in his own hand.

He had just taken his own mouthful when he noticed Carol staring at him with a knowing smile.

"What?" he demanded.

"Nothin'."

"Usually means something'."

"I just don't want to say anything to set you off," Carol said.

"When has that ever stopped you speakin' your mind?"

"I just think it's nice that you're getting close with someone else."

Daryl gave her a dead pan expression. "I'm close with you."

"You know what I mean."

"Ok I need you to stop talkin' like Mara's my girlfriend now. We're just friends."

"Who kissed!"

Daryl's spoon clattered to the bowel. "Does everyone know that happened?"

"I reckon so."Carol laughed at his aghast face. "Don't look so sour. We only know a handful of people. Gossip is gonna spread fast."

"It was a one-time thing."

"And that's why you're so disappointed that she can't come with you today."

Daryl blushed, knowing he'd been caught out. "I wasn't," he stammered out a weak protest. Carol just laughed again.

"But if Mara is with Glenn today, who is with me?"

Christine appeared in the cell block. "'Sup, Wrong Turn?"

"Aw, shit!"

Daryl led Christine in to the woods. She was as quiet as Mara always was on patrol but for some reason the silence felt oppressive instead of useful. He had the feeling she wanted to say something but was waiting for the right time.

Daryl let that carry on for about an hour until he determined that there were no tracks, human or walker, to be found.

"Y'got somethin' on your mind?"

"Look Dixon, I know your deal. Mara can't recognise it because she's nice and normal-"

"I know that," Daryl interrupted.

"No, I mean _nice_ and _normal_! Her family is normal. Her last boyfriend was studying to be a doctor. She's never had her heart broken, she's never experienced proper grief."

"What are you sayin'?"

"I'm saying that for some reason she is in to you."

"We're just friends," Daryl used the same excuse he had just used with Carol but Christine wasn't buying it either.

"Dude, she's likes you. She's protecting herself because she doesn't think you feel the same but she likes you."

"And that's a bad thing?"

Daryl was surprised when Christine didn't immediately agree with him. "I'm saying I know that you're damaged."

Daryl fixed her with a hard look.

"I know because I am too. When I realised my fiancé was dead, I guess I died a bit too."

Daryl was horrified to see Christine tear up a little bit.

"What I'm saying is that I can see it in you because it's in me. But it's not in Mara. Mara's not totally oblivious to it but she doesn't understand truly how damaged people push away people who care about them."

"I've never had many people care 'bout me to push 'em away."

"I never thought the day would come when I'd be encouraging my best friend to hook up with a redneck but I swear to god Dixon, if you hurt Mara I will kill you, wait until you come back and then kill you again."

"Damn, anyone tell you you're a lil bit scary?"

"Oh yeah, tonnes of people."

Daryl opened his mouth to answer than froze. "Duck!"

Christine complied instantly. Daryl raised his crossbow and shot a walker across the clearing. The shot went straight through its eye.

"Dixon, you're an asshole but fuck you're good with that thing."

"I do what I do," he replied with a little more swag.

**AN: I like this chapter. It was one of those moments when it all gelled in my head. Anyway I watched the last three episodes. Not overly fussed on the finale honestly. I felt it was a bit anti-climactic. Let me know your thoughts on the series or this chapter! I'm just in the mood to discuss TWD. Review or I'll set the Governor on to y'all... just kidding. Review because you're good people.**

**MD666**


	12. Chapter 12

Mara was standing on the over-turned bus when Christine and Daryl returned. Daryl had a sting of small dead animals around his neck and it was indication of how bad Mara had it for him that it didn't turn her off.

Daryl met her eyes and nodded at her before going inside. Christine split off from Daryl and came to meet Mara. Mara reached a hand down to help her on to the bus.

Something was off. Christine's expression was too innocent.

Mara groaned. "You said something to him didn't you?"

"I just told him about your pining tween crush. You're right by the way, he does have nice arms. I checked them out today."

Mara considered beating Christine over the head with something heavy.

"I didn't want him to know I liked him," Mara protested, feeling very much like she was back in High School.

"Didn't you?" Christine was still pretending to be blameless. She sent Mara a significant look before disappearing back to the prison.

As soon as Mara was relieved of guard duty she went to find Daryl.

"I don't like you," she blurted out when she found him cleaning his arrows.

Daryl raised an eyebrow at her expectantly.

"I told Christine about the kiss and she's just read more into it. She's over protective that way."

Daryl held the arrow head up to examine it closely. "Yeah, I know. You had an itch you wanted to scratch."

"Yes, purely physical. Because we are friends, attractive friends, but friends first. Right?" Mara was rambling, she knew that. Daryl's steady gaze made her feel exactly like the 'tween' Christine had called her.

"Right. Friends," Daryl agreed. When he looked over his shoulder to find a rag Mara practically ran away.

Rick and Michonne were on guard duty together so they weren't at dinner. As if by some prior arrangement the women all went to bed early that night leaving only the men. Daryl was glad to get some space from Mara. She's been acting weird all night and if Daryl was honest with himself, he was confused.

She had been upfront and candid with him the other day on their run into town. But then the conversation with Christine had thrown him off. Christine was under the impression that Mara _like_ liked him. And Mara had seemed awful flustered when he came back to the prison. Now he knew why Merle always said women were crazy and to avoid attachments at all cost.

He felt himself instantly relax without the female element in the room. Without discussion Yussuf found a pack of cards from somewhere and put them in the middle of the table.

"Poker?"

"Hell yes," Glenn said with a grin.

Hershel reached out a hand. "I'll deal."

"You in, Sarge?" Elias asked.

"Have I ever missed an opportunity to beat Yussuf at anything?" he asked.

"Can I play too?" Carl piped up. The men cleared a spot and welcomed him over.

"I got something that'll make this better," Daryl said on impulse and fetched the bottle of bourbon.

He was welcomed back like a hero. He unscrewed the cap and passed the bottle to Nathan first. The sergeant poured a fingers worth into every man's cup except Hershel's, who waved him off politely. He hesitated when he came to Carls but then tipped in an even smaller portion.

"Don't tell your dad!"

Carl's chest puffed up to twice its normal size. He took a ginger sip of the hard liquor and struggled to hide his grimace. Daryl knew he hated it but didn't call him on it. Carl had more than earned the right to act like a man if he wanted to far as Daryl was concerned.

From somewhere they dredged up stuff to bet. Tools, weapons, a random Australian five dollar note, promises to do chores.

Daryl had been playing poker since he'd been old enough to pretend to be old enough to get into bars. He figured he'd do pretty well out of this game.

As they played on, Daryl was glad that before walkers had over run the world, America had felt the need to super-size everything. The bourbon bottle was more than large enough to do some damage. He noticed Hershel abstained and Elias and Nathan didn't drink more than their initial glass. They were on the late guard shift and Daryl admitted it was probably good if everyone wasn't shit faced.

Yussuf and Glenn were matching him shot for shot though and Daryl could feel the alcohol rushing to his head, his tolerance lower after a year of sobriety.

Daryl had just won the five dollar note from Yussuf in the last hand. He was turning it over in his fingers.

"What the fuck use is this?" Daryl demanded. It was pink and plastic. "It's like fuckin' monopoly money."

"All our money is pink!" Yussuf said.

"Really?" Carl asked.

Elias shook his head behind Yussuf's back.

"I saw that," Yussuf said and there was a round of laughter. He went to play a card and ended up knocking a mug over.

Elias and Nathan banged their hands on the table and shouted, "Taxi!"

Daryl had no idea what the hell that even meant but all of them started shouting it whenever someone knocked something over, slurred their words or made a colossally bad call with their cards.

By the end Glenn was passed out face first on the table. Yussuf was having a deep spiritual discussion with a very tolerant Hershel. Daryl was just drunk enough. He felt mellow but not out of control.

He enjoyed the feeling of clarity he was experiencing. The alcohol made the complications of the last few days fade away. Nathan sighed, "This has been fun boys but Elias and I need to get outside for guard duty."

Hershel was throwing a blanket over Glenn's shoulders, chuckling as he went in search of his daughter to collect Glenn.

Carl was slumped over with his head in hand, sleeping where he sat. He looked young when he was sleeping. Daryl scooped him up to carry him to his cell. Carl didn't wake up and Daryl grunted. Kid weighed more than he looked.

He deposited Carl into his own bed and gently slid the cell door shut. Turns out one standard drink was enough to knock Carl out good. Daryl wondered how he'd pull up tomorrow even if he'd only drunk a tiny bit. He remembered the first time he had gotten drunk after stealing some of his father's beer and the rotten hangover he got the next day.

Maggie and Glenn walked past him, Glenn's arm draped over Maggie's shoulders. Glenn was rambling some incoherent words punctuated with a few _I love you_'s. Maggie rolled her eyes when she caught Daryl's stare but her expression was soft and affectionate. Daryl was glad that they had sorted out the issues that had been driving a wedge between them. He had never bothered giving a shit about other people's relationships before now but he was rooting for these two.

He wondered what it was like to have someone to look after you when you were that drunk that the world was spinning out of control and all you needed was someone to hold you and it together for a few hours. He'd never had that.

He walked past Mara's cell and could hear movement inside. He paused outside. She was still awake which didn't surprise him considering how rowdy they had been. For some reason he couldn't make his feet move.

He was stuck where he stood, separated from Mara by a sheet and some bars of metal.

He was going to walk on when she pulled the sheet back. She was standing there with her hair out, wearing nothing but a tank top and underwear.

"Daryl?"

He didn't say anything and she wordlessly slid her cell door open so he could come in.

"Are you drunk?" she asked.

Daryl still didn't answer, he just walked towards Mara.

In that moment he could see how different they were. How Mara was innocent and naive. Habit had taught him that if a drunk man was quietly stalking up to him, he'd have a beating on his hands. He would have run away. That's what his childhood had taught him but Mara was staring at him placidly, holding her ground.

He pushed his luck even further, bringing his hands up to either side of her delicate neck. Her breathing hitched a little but still there was no fear. Her eyes showed only confusion and interest. She was giving him so much power over her right now. But Daryl didn't have any urge to hurt her and for a few seconds he just enjoyed the contact, the soft skin under his finger tips, the smell of soap and her trust.

The moment made him brave and he closed the final distance between them and pressed his lips against hers in a soft, timid kiss.

...

Mara didn't think any of the women were going to win any academy awards for their excuses but it got them out of the main room and away from the men.

They all congregated in Carol's cell, having received nothing but cryptic clues from Carol and Christine.

Carol took charge of the little gathering. "I know we've all been having a stressful few weeks but Christine and I grabbed some supplies the last town run we did. We thought we could have a good ole' fashioned girls night."

Then she proceeded to dump nail polish, some chocolate and trashy magazines out on her bed. Mara laughed as she grabbed one of the magazines, it was out of date by years now but who cared.

"This is amazing," Maggie said.

"Well this is where we are now so it's important to create some kind of life and re honour the traditions of getting the hell away from the men sometimes," Christine said. "Besides it was all Carol's idea."

Mara knew Christine and Carol had been paired up a few times for guard duty and town runs. Christine liked the older woman and respected her opinion. Mara did too apart from that brief insanity when she had been jealous of Carol's connection with Daryl.

Beth picked up a bottle of pink nail polish that Mara could see from her spot on the floor had gone clumpy and asked who wanted their nails done first. She still volunteered and giggled as Beth struggled to smear the gooey colour on Mara's ragged nails.

The women could all hear the men's raucous behaviour but left them to their own devices. They spent a pleasant evening going through the magazines and laughing at the gossip of the past. They didn't try and speculate about whether any of those celebrities were still alive or not. That would have brought them down.

Mara was just turning in when she thought she could hear footsteps and breathing from outside her cell. There was a faint silhouette against the sheet. She waited to see if it was one of the group just passing by but when they stayed there she pulled aside the sheet and was surprised to find Daryl standing there, looking lost.

"Daryl?"

He didn't answer her, just stood there staring at her like she was a ghost. She opened her cell and stepped back so he could come in if he wanted to.

Mara noticed he wasn't his balanced self and only took a second before she could smell the alcohol on him.

"Are you drunk?" she asked. So that is what the boys had been doing earlier.

He still didn't speak. Daryl took a careful step towards her. He was watching Mara closely, as if he expected her to run.

He was standing right in front of her, that inch too close to the front of her body. The look in his eyes was intense and, underneath that intensity, frightened. Mara stayed very still, not wanting him to be scared off.

With a second of hesitation, Daryl put his hands on either side of her neck. Mara couldn't prevent the small gasp that escaped her mouth. There was nothing threatening in his touch but the unexpected contact shocked her system.

His thumbs were resting gently under the line of her jaw. Mara was confused by these actions. Part of her knew he was only doing this because he was drunk but Mara didn't want to break the spell before she found out how this ended.

Then with the slightest of pressure Daryl was tilting her face upward and he pressed his lips lightly to hers.

Mara was sure he could feel her pulse leaping under his fingers as his mouth melded to hers.

There was something tentative and tender about this kiss. He didn't push her up against the wall or bite her lip this time. He seemed to be experiencing her. Capturing the scent, taste and feel of this moment in his memory.

That was what Mara was doing. She could have let it last forever but the sweet burning taste of his lips reminded Mara that he had been drinking.

She covered his hands with her smaller ones and slowly, gently slipped out of his hold.

Daryl inhaled one shuddering breath, focusing on Mara's face.

"Why are your nails pink?" he asked hoarsely.

Mara laughed. "Beth's administrations."

"Makes sense."

Daryl had her in his hands, holding Mara close to him.

"What do you want, Daryl?" she asked. She hoped she didn't sound accusatory or defensive.

"I've been thinkin' bout what you said, and I thought maybe we could-"

"Have sex?"

Even drunk the words still brought a flush to Daryl's cheeks.

Mara sighed, cursing the timing. "Daryl, I can't have sex with you."

Daryl froze and he stepped away from Mara like she had caught fire.

She grabbed his shirt hurriedly before he could get too far away. "Tonight," she hastened to add. "I'm not having sex with you when you're drunk."

Daryl looked perplexed. His default setting was to be insulted and run away but the alcohol was slowing him down just enough for her words to register.

"So you do still want to have sex with me?" He sounded like an awkward teenager. Mara knew that Daryl was prone to rash decisions and she could only imagine that was heightened by whatever he'd been drinking. She didn't want him waking up in the morning with a hangover and regret.

"Yes but I want you to make the decision to do it when you're sober and in the right state of mind. If you still think it's a good idea, well you know where I live." Mara smiled shyly. She knew she should make light of it and say something about how it would just be physical but the lies stuck in Mara's throat. She knew what it would mean, at least to her. Daryl was too guarded to let someone in.

Daryl nodded and Mara hoped he understood. He swayed visibly and Mara grabbed both his arms to steady him. Mara hadn't realised he was that drunk. He had seemed so in control when he had walked into her cell.

She led him to the bed intending to let him sit down and clear his head for a minute but Daryl lay down and stretched right out.

"Make yourself at home," Mara grumbled. She hovered next to the bed. Daryl was not going anywhere soon by the looks of him.

She wasn't sure if sleeping next to him was crossing the line and taking advantage of his vulnerability. On the other hand, she wasn't sleeping on the ground or the perch he called a bed.

Mara gingerly got into next to him, trying to arrange herself in the bed so she wasn't touching him. Which was impossible in these tiny cell beds.

Daryl let out a ridiculously loud snore and she giggled. She was sharing the bed with him as a concerned friend. At least that's what she told herself over and over again as she tried to ignore the heat radiating from his body.

**AN: So here is another chapter. I was just having a moment of much love for the fanfic community. It's actually awesome that even when someone is criticising a fundamental part of your story, they can still be polite and kind. I know there are some obnoxious flamers out there with not a shred of compassion but on the whole the fanfic reviews are such a generous supportive bunch. That said if the next bout of reviews could espouse some love for Mara, that would be nice too lol. **

**MD 666**


	13. Chapter 13

Daryl woke with a start. He felt too hot and there was a weight on his chest. His eyes were bleary, his mouth was dry and his head was throbbing. He groaned. He was hung over.

Feeling suffocated, Daryl tried to move and saw there was a person's head in the middle of his chest. He froze. Mara was using his bare chest as a pillow. Her breath was tickling his skin and he could feel the rise and fall of her breathing against his body.

He frantically ran through what had happened last night. It came back to him in a rush. They hadn't done anything except kiss so where was his shirt?

Mara was still wearing her clothes. He knew why she was sprawled on top of him too. He had his arm wrapped around her waist drawing her into him.

He had to get out from under her. He slowly slid out from under her; he got his feet under him. The cell floor was cold under his bare feet. He was lucky to still be wearing pants at this point.

He scanned the floor quickly looking for his shirt.

"Looking for something?" a sleepy voice asked.

Daryl snapped upright, keeping his back to the wall.

"Yeah, my shirt. Y'know where it went?"

Mara half shrugged, her eyes lidded. She wasn't looking at him like she knew anything. "You took it off sometime in the night. Said you were hot."

Mara rolled over to face Daryl and slid her hands under her cheek. The movement caused the blankets to slip and Daryl could see the line of one of her legs.

But even Mara's bare skin couldn't distract him. He spotted the shirt on the ground and squatted to pick it up. He put it on before standing up. If Mara thought that was strange she didn't show it.

She was still looking at him half dazed and he could tell she just wanted to go back to sleep. There was no pity in her eyes and Daryl let himself relax a little. If she had seen his back she would have said something.

"I'm gonna check out the permitter."

Mara nodded and closed her eyes. She quickly stretched out into the space Daryl had occupied. Daryl grabbed his shoes and high tailed it out of her cell. His heart was pounding in his chest at how close she'd come to seeing the extent of Daryl's damage.

He shoved his feet into his shoes and grabbed his crossbow. The air outside was cold and there was still a hint of fog rolling over the ground.

Daryl felt better outside in the open spaces of the prison. In that cell he had felt trapped. And yet he also couldn't shake the image of Mara relaxed and sprawled in a bed he'd just left. Her golden skin had looked almost luminous against the white of the sheets.

Daryl shook his head, disgusted at the poetic images in his head. It was the remaining booze in his system making him think that way he convinced himself.

He tipped his crossbow to Elias in the guard tower, who nodded back. Nathan was closer to the gate.

"Where you going?" he asked as Daryl opened the gate.

"Out."

"I'd advise against it."

"Good thing you ain't _my_ sergeant then," Daryl snapped back.

Nathan didn't look bothered by Daryl's aggressive tone and stood back to let Daryl pass without another word.

Daryl wandered through the woods distracted. He didn't fall easily into his tracking mode like he usually did. He was looking without really seeing; his mind still caught up with the events from this morning.

Daryl had been drunk enough to abandon some of his inhibitions but not drunk enough that he could forget what he'd done and said. Seized by a moment of liquor infused boldness he had kissed Mara. Then he had tried to follow up on what Mara had initially suggested.

Only problem was whatever madness had possessed Mara to want him that way had obviously faded because she had rejected him. That gave him pause. He wasn't rejected in the traditional sense. Hell, Mara had said another time if he still wanted to when he was sober. But that was the problem. That was probably just Mara's way of politely rejecting him, knowing he would never have the guts to approach her stone cold sober.

Daryl cursed his own shyness. Merle had never had any problems approaching women. Despite the fact Merle had never been nice to women; they seemed to flock to him. It was his confidence, that arrogance that seemed to say if the ladies were lucky he'd maybe decide to spend an evening with them but don't expect romance or a phone call in the morning.

Merle would never have tried with a woman like Mara though. Merle would find Mara pushy and snobby and mouthy. Merle only liked strong women if he thought he could break them. Mara would have liked Merle even less.

Daryl was so caught in his own thoughts that he had wandered dangerously far from the prison. He couldn't even pretend that he was hunting any more. His angry stomping would have sent any quarry scurrying off in the opposite direction.

He was still mad about how close Mara had come to seeing his back. Daryl might like Mara and trust her even but his business was his business and he certainly wasn't comfortable sharing his life story with her. And wouldn't that be unavoidable if it got physical between them? Could she see the scars and not ask? He was definitely not ready to be that vulnerable with Mara.

Daryl began to take notice of his surroundings with a start, realising that he'd gone much further than he'd intended. The angry energy had pushed him on and he recognised that he was actually close to Woodbury.

Feeling defiant and reckless, Daryl decided to see what had been happening in Woodbury. He knew that Rick wanted them to keep far away from the town, not wanting to antagonise the Governor but Daryl disagreed. They needed to know what was going on.

Daryl felt relatively safe moving by himself. He could blend almost seamlessly into the woods if he needed to and he knew those people in the cosy town would never know their way around the forest like he did.

Daryl just needed some higher ground and some concealment. He wasn't stupid enough to try and go in the fortressed town. Not any more anyway. He just wanted to scout it out. The closer he got the more sounds of life he could hear.

He quickly figured out that the best view was to be had by climbing a tree. Daryl quickly found one that he thought would be high enough to give him a view over the back walls. Daryl wasn't as close as he liked but he didn't want to risk crossing the town lines and going amongst the buildings. He had no idea what the walker situation was down there, though he didn't imagine the Governor would suffer their existence.

Daryl scaled the tree with ease and was satisfied he was more or less shielded from anyone casting a casual glance at the tree line. He was still trying to work out what the sounds were that he was hearing from across the wall. It sounded like shouting and then a lot of movement.

Daryl finally saw over the wall and cold dread settled in his stomach. He curled his fingers into the bark because his first instinct was to be afraid. They may have a few soldiers at the prison but the Governor had an army.

Rick was perfectly still and calm. The prison was buzzing with the news Daryl had reported but Rick hadn't over reacted at all.

"We can't take him out head on. He has too much fire power," Rick mused out loud. They were the first words he had spoken and it silenced the rest of the people in the room.

Mara had been shocked by what Daryl had reported. She hadn't known what to expect of him when he came back after what had happened last night but it definitely had not been that.

Mara had taken note of the fact he barely looked at her when he came running in to the prison but as soon as he started frantically telling Nathan and Rick what he had seen Mara quickly conceded that this matter trumped all personal issues.

"What d'you have in mind?" Hershel asked.

"I'm thinkin' they haven't fought fair with us so why should we with them? A few of us can sneak in, sabotage their supplies and maybe steal some weapons."

Mara flicked her eyes to Nathan. Her sergeant had been very quiet so far and Mara wondered if this crossed his line of keeping the peace.

The survivors were nodding; faces grim and determined.

Rick was speaking emphatically and they hung on his every word. He was a leader in the truest sense of the word.

"I'll take Michonne. She knows the layout. Daryl and Glenn, I need you stay here in case anything happens to me. I know that between the two of you, the prison will be safe."

Daryl and Glenn both looked unhappy with the decision to be left behind but they didn't argue with Rick. They knew a big group couldn't be stealthy and Rick was right, all the best fighters couldn't leave.

"Nathan, I know how you feel about this issue so I'll leave your people out of this."

"With respect," Mara interrupted, "I'd like to volunteer." The words were out of her mouth before she had time to think. She didn't even know she was going to do it until she had. Daryl shot Mara a sharp look. Some impulse had flooded Mara's body and she wanted to hit the Governor where it hurt.

"Mara," Nathan began.

Mara cut him off. "Sarge, I know we're not supposed to take sides but the Governor's men would have killed me soon as looked at me. I'm in this fight."

Nathan fixed her with a long stare before nodding once. Mara wasn't sure what that meant for their dynamic but Nathan didn't look mad at least, more resigned.

Yussuf looked like he wanted to protest her involvement too but Mara knew that was from worry more than an internal ethical conflicts.

"When will you go?" Carol asked.

"Tonight." There were sounds of shock and protest but Rick held up his hand for silence. "We've waited too long and that was a mistake. He's been biding his time to assemble a force that could destroy us and we can't afford to waste another minute."

"You're right," Hershel agreed quietly.

Rick looked to Mara and Michonne. "I need you to go prepare now."

Mara nodded and left for her cell. She sensed a presence at the opening and turned to face them. She tried to not let the disappointment show on her face when it was Christine.

"Expecting someone else?"

"No." Expecting, no. Hoping? Certainly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Christine asked.

Mara looked up at her friend. "Very sure. I really hate this asshole."

"You haven't even met him yet," Christine pointed out logically.

Mara scowled, "I know but I can feel his shadow hanging over everything these people do. It's oppressive."

"Are you looking to become one of these people?"

"Christine, we're already part of this group!"

Christine didn't have an answer to that. "Besides you didn't seem that surprised I volunteered," Mara pressed.

Christine smiled. "I know you, Mara. You have a hero complex."

"A hero complex?"

"Yeah. Yussuf and Nathan are here because of orders, Elias had nowhere else to go." Christine paused and it was with an obvious effort that she continued, "We all know why I'm here. But why are you here, Mara? You've got no ties to this place. At least you didn't."

Mara ignored the obvious bait at the end. "I came to help people, Christine." Mara started shoving her weapons into a pile. "I came to kill monsters. I just didn't anticipate the monsters would be human."

Mara was deliberately not looking at Christine. She wanted to go with Rick tonight but that didn't mean she wasn't scared.

Christine grabbed Mara's shoulders and forced Mara to face her. "Just promise me you'll be careful."

Mara answered her by throwing her arms around Christine and pulling her into a tight hug.

Christine left her to get ready and as Mara was seeing her off she caught Daryl's eye from the perch where he slept. For a minute Mara thought he was going to come and talk to her, he looked like he wanted to, but he ended up disappearing down the stairs.

Mara felt her chest tighten at the sight of his retreating back. She could admit that she wanted him to say something to her, to take her mind off what she had to do. Mara berated herself, she should have realised that last night was alcohol and nothing more.

And what was worse was that now she knew what it was like to be pressed up against his body. She'd felt safe and comfortable and those lean muscles hadn't hurt either.

The rest of the group walked them to the gate. Carl's face was stoic. Rick bent down and spoke in a low voice so only Carl would hear before Rick clutched his son to his chest. He pressed a kiss to the top of Judith's head.

Michonne didn't have the same extensive goodbyes to be said. Mara had received stern talking to's about safety from all her team and now she was running through her selection of weapons. Her hand was shaking as she double checked that her gun was loaded and the safety was on. Her knife was in a sheath at her hip.

Her heart plummeted as Mara felt for her sword and found it gone. Mara felt stupid when she remembered she had put it on the ground so it didn't get in the way of all the farewell hugs.

Daryl was suddenly there, picking it up off the ground. Holding the sword in both his hands he approached Mara. He hesitated before slipping the strap over Mara's shoulder.

"Watch your back out there," he said gruffly. Coming from anyone else it would have seemed a curt and detached goodbye but Mara knew that was Daryl's way of acknowledging he cared whether she survived.

"I'm not gonna die. Who would save your ass if I did?" Mara joked.

Daryl's lips quirked into a smile. His eyes stayed serious though. He walked away from Mara with a slight backward glance. Rick clasped Daryl's forearm not having to exchange any words with him.

The walkers were snarling at the fence. Maggie, Beth and Carol went further up to draw them away with noise. As soon as the path was clear Michonne, Rick and Mara slipped out of the gates.

One walker broke away from the pack, dragging one broken foot behind it. The three humans ignored it. It was harmlessly slow.

Moving fast, they quickly left it behind.

"Maybe we should have taken the car?" Mara said when they paused to drink.

The sun had set and they all knew the spooks were more active at night.

Rick shook his head. "Couldn't risk it, he might have the roads watched."

"He definitely would," Michonne agreed.

"Michonne, we need to have a plan if Andrea is with them," Rick said.

"I'll do what needs to be done," Michonne bit out and it was obvious Andrea was her weakness. The two women had become best friends and Mara couldn't imagine ever being in a position where she might have to kill Christine. Because that was what Rick was saying without actually saying it. They might have to kill Andrea.

The spooks only bothered them once and it was a small group. They cut them down in seconds and not wasting much needed energy.

Woodbury loomed up in front of Mara. Maybe it was because Mara knew what was inside those walls but Mara found it ominous, lit up by torches in the dark. It struck her that it was like a medieval castle.

Michonne led the way and they skirted the shadows to the back of the town. The guards had doubled since the last time Rick and Michonne had come to rescue Maggie and Glenn. But Michonne still found a place where the fence was weak. It was out of direct sight of the guard and the torches didn't have quite the same reach as electric lighting.

They cut their way in and pulled the fence shut again. They didn't seal it because they wanted to have a quick getaway but they also didn't want a camp infested with spooks.

The guards were talking to each other and weren't keeping much of an eye on their watch zone. Mara scoffed. Amateurs. The Governor might have the numbers but he didn't have the training.

"Where would they keep the weapons, Michonne? If we could steal their ammo and their supplies that'll be a huge hit."

"You don't want the food?" Mara asked.

"We only have time for one and I want to make sure they have less to follow us with."

"I think I know a place," Michonne said. She took the lead and the others followed. Mara and Rick had both unholstered their guns and they were running low and quiet. Michonne was confident she knew where they were going and there were only two incidents when people on the street forced them to duck in to door jams.

Mara was finding their luck suspicious. The Governor hadn't struck her as so arrogant he wouldn't be wary. She could tell Rick felt it too, his shoulders were tense and he had a white knuckle grip on his gun.

"Down here," Michonne hissed. They were behind a shop and there were two discrete doors in the ground. Mara thought it looked like the tornado shelter from the Wizard of Oz but it was probably just a cellar. Mara suspected Michonne had gotten it wrong but closer inspection revealed it was padlocked. Rick slid the bolt cutters out of the bag they'd brought with them.

Mara kept a watch over her shoulder. She felt on edge at the moment and the sooner they got out of Woodbury the sooner she could breath properly again.

They lifted the doors silently to reveal the room below. It was larger than Mara had anticipated and was lit with a dull glow. They could see all the weapons from their vantage.

Rick breathed out a sigh of relief and took one step down. Michonne grabbed his arm. "I don't like this."

"I don't either," Rick hissed back, "but we've got no choice!"

Rick made his way down the stairs carefully with Mara and Michonne watching cautiously from the top.

"It's clear," he called quietly. Mara climbed in after him leaving Michonne on guard. Both of them hastily began filling bags with guns but primarily ammunition. Guns were just metal sticks without bullets.

Mara's pulse was still in her throat as she scanned the room for anything that would fit in the bag. She spotted some grenades and stuffed them in as well.

There was a shout and then the sounds of a fight. Rick ran up the stairs and Mara followed. Michonne was already standing there with her hands in the air. Her sword was by her feet on the ground. Her face was no longer stoic but shooting repulsed death stares at the men surrounding them. Not just men, women too. Mara even thought she saw a young teenager at the back.

There were fifteen people standing there pointing guns at them. Rick and Mara dropped their bag of weapons and raised their hands too. Rick was devastated and Mara was frightened.

"Well well, caught like rats in a trap," a smooth voice said. The group parted and a tall man with an eye patch walked through the gap. Mara recognised the Hispanic man behind him and her stomach curled when she realised he had led the attack on her and Daryl.

"You must be the Governor," Rick spat out.

"And you're Rick. It's nice to actually meet you."

The Governor's tone was light, friendly even but the look on his face struck Mara cold. She had no doubts she was looking at the most dangerous thing she'd seen so far.

"Michonne, didn't expect to see you again," he continued saying casually, like he was welcoming old friends to coffee.

Mara could see Michonne's fingers curl into a fist. Her hatred for this man in front of her was palpable. The Governor's gaze went to the bags on the ground and he tutted.

"We can't have that."

He signalled to his guards and they came forward. Mara submitted to the two men who pushed her hands behind her back. There were too many to fight free of.

"Take them away," The Governor growled, for the first time letting some anger into his voice.

They were pushed into the basement of a building and Mara was shoved into a room with a table and chairs. The door was slammed behind her and Mara was locked in the windowless room alone. She had no idea where they were taking Rick and Michonne or why they hadn't been slaughtered on sight.

Mara forced herself to take some steadying breaths. She needed to keep her cool and think of a way to get out of here without dying.

The room was Spartan, there was no chance of finding weapons there and the Governor had removed all of her own. There was just a metal chair and a metal table. The table was bolted to the ground and Mara didn't know what kind of damage she could do with a chair.

Before she really had time to think the chair attack plan through the door swung open. Mara considered fighting them hand to hand but three men walked in and they all had guns. They were confident and looked comfortable with their firearms.

One of the group was the Hispanic man from earlier. He was clearly something of a leader amongst this pack.

"Sit down," he instructed curtly. Mara chose to do what he said. She could pick her battles later.

They wrapped some rope around her arms, effectively binding her forearms to the chair.

As soon as she was secure Mara received a vicious backhand. Mara cried out. She could taste blood on her lower lip.

"That was for my friends," the man bit out.

Some insane part of Mara made her laugh. "Your friends shot at me. I'd kill them again."

There was another stinging blow but Mara was expecting it and didn't cry out. She thought there would be more abuse to come but they just walked out of the room. It didn't give her any relief. Mara knew there would be worse to come.

**AN: Hello everyone. I've been rewriting later chapters to incorporate what I now know about where the finale is taking us. And I've also been writing a whole other story because when the muse hits, boy it hits hard. There has been an overwhelming response to that story because there are no OC's but I still love writing this story because it's a completely different set of characters – kind of. **

**Please review because it makes my heart sing, and rainbows come out and Norman Reedus to take off his shirt – ok the last two are not true. **

**As I mentioned on my other story, I am now on twitter EJWadePR, saying irrelevant things about other things (mostly TV) and it really has no connection to fanfic, I'm just throwing that out there if you happen to be on twitter because 10 followers is just sad at the moment.**

**Much love,**

**MD666**


	14. Chapter 14

Daryl was pacing the length of the common room. It was noon the day after Rick, Michonne and Mara had walked off into the sunset to do some sabotaging.

They should have been back by now even if they got delayed by walkers.

Carol watched him pace soberly but didn't try to stop him. If he didn't get the frustrated energy out some way he was likely to walk off in the forest to find them.

Nathan was getting antsy too. He had stayed calm for a few hours but now his composed exterior was starting to chip away with worry.

Hershel was sitting next to Beth who was holding a silent Judith. It was like even the baby could sense the mood of the room.

It was Elias who eventually broke the hush. "Something's gone wrong," he said simply.

Nathan nodded.

"What do we do?" Maggie asked.

"It's obvious, we go get 'em," Daryl snapped.

He waited for Nathan to argue but the sergeant didn't. "Yussuf, Christine, Carl and Glenn are outside watching for them. Let's give them another hour and then we'll go see what happened."

"An hour!" Daryl protested. He knew he was taking his anger out on Nathan but he couldn't keep it under control.

"Yes, an hour. Then I'll take my team and we'll go looking for them."

"I'm not stayin' behind this time!"

"What Rick said is still true. This prison needs someone to protect it."

Daryl shook his head. He wasn't being left house sitting this time. Not with his friends captured. Not with Mara in the hands of the Governor. "I'm goin'."

"Fine, but I need you to keep your head. We need to get a grasp of the situation and not just rush in. Getting killed won't help Rick, Michonne or Mara."

Nathan's casual tone was gone and he was commanding. The message was clear: _You come with me, you're one of mine and you fall in line_.

Daryl processed what the sergeant was saying through his rage and panic and Daryl knew he was right. They needed to be smart about this.

That didn't stop him stalking off to clear his head. Carol found him leaning against a fence staring daggers into the distance as if his eyes alone could hunt down and kill the Governor.

Daryl didn't wait for her to start the conversation. "You gonna tell me not t'go too?"

"Would I tell you what to do?" Carol asked innocently.

The expression on her face made Daryl laugh gruffly. "We must be thinkin' of different Carols then."

"I think it's good that you care so much," Carol said softly.

Daryl sighed. "Rick trusts me. Ain't nobody put his trust in me the way Rick did."

"I did," Carol pointed out.

"You don't count."

"Oh really?" Carol plastered an offended look on her face.

Daryl wasn't fooled. Carol was used to his clumsy way of expressing himself. "I mean lookin' to me t'lead and givin' me responsibilities."

"You earned your place here, Daryl Dixon. You're a good man. Mara sees it too." Carol threw Mara's name in there with a sly look.

"We ain't talking 'bout Mara."

"It's ok to admit you care about a new person, Daryl."

"I don't-"

"Don't you argue with me," Carol said swiftly.

"Would I argue with you?"

Carol's expression was wry. "We must be thinkin' of different Daryls then."

Daryl smiled at her dry tone but it slipped in to a frown quickly. "Every time I care 'bout someone new it's a new opportunity to get hurt and lose them."

Carol grabbed his hand. "We can't go through life alone. Not the old life and not this life either. Life is pain but it's the good bits that make it worth livin'."

Carol gave his hand one last squeeze before leaving him to his thoughts. He knew she was right as always but what if he was too scared to listen to her?

Christine found him some time later and if he thought she was distant and blunt at the best of times it was nothing compared to what she was like when she was worried.

"Let's go," was all she said.

Daryl was okay with the lack of conversation. The silence suited his mood as they headed off toward the prison. Even Yussuf was unusually terse today. They were feeling the loss of Mara keenly, like an important cog in their machine was missing and they didn't function properly without it.

The Australians had scary, intense looks on their faces that Daryl would have found intimidating if he wasn't sure that it was reflected on his own.

Nathan let him take the lead once they reached the wood line. They didn't have time to engage with walkers so they were going to avoid them as much as possible.

Daryl moved fast and the soldiers kept pace with him.

They reached the place where Daryl had originally seen the army. It looked like a large public square and Daryl thought it was as good a place as any to scope out the grounds.

With hushed whispers Nathan sent Christine up with him and Daryl got some insight into why Yussuf constantly called her 'my little tree monkey.' Christine shot up the tree faster than a squirrel and Daryl was left in her wake admiring her speed.

"Dixon," she hissed down the tree, "hurry up! Something's happening."

Daryl doubled his speed until he was in the branch next to Christine. It looked like the whole of Woodbury was out in the square and they were baying for blood. They couldn't hear the words but Daryl recognised the sounds of an angry mob. It wasn't so long ago that he'd been paraded in front of them and they'd called for his death like it was entertainment.

"This ain't good," Daryl breathed. Christine was still as stone beside him. The Governor appeared in front of the crowd. Daryl's fingers curled around the strap of his cross bow wishing he could shoot him from here.

The Governors men pushed two figures wearing hoods in front of the crowd. The hoods were pulled off and Michonne and Rick were revealed. Daryl's heart raced in his chest. Christine snapped to attention next to him and Daryl knew she was posed for action. What action she could take he had no idea.

The Governor was talking now. The crowd was cheering and then the hoods were back on and Rick and Michonne were being escorted away.

"What the fuck was that?"

"It looked like an execution," Christine responded, eyes glued on the scene.

"Well thank god it wasn't! Where was Mara?"

Christine shook her head. "No idea." She exchanged a look with Daryl, neither one of them wanting to say the most obvious option – that Mara was already dead. Daryl refused to allow that kind of thinking for himself but his stomach felt like it was full of lead.

They climbed down and recounted what they had seen.

"Tomorrow night. We get them out!" Nathan said it.

"Tomorrow night?" Daryl was shocked. They could be dead by then.

"They'll be watching them closely tonight and we can't risk going in during the daylight. Rick wouldn't want us to die for him," Nathan said.

Daryl wanted to punch the sergeant even though he knew he was speaking the truth. Rick wouldn't want anyone to suffer in his place. Daryl didn't want to go back to the prison. He wanted to be right here in case an opportunity presented itself and he could help Rick, Michonne or Mara. He wanted to stay to find any evidence that Mara was alright.

"We need to tell everyone what's happened. Get us home Daryl," Yussuf said quietly. Daryl was grateful to have a purpose, even a meaningless one. The Australian's could get back just fine on their own but he needed something to do other than focus on how powerless he was.

Half way back he was sure he was hearing something. It was hard to tell over the sound of five sets of feet but it was there in the background.

Keeping his voice low he said, "in five seconds, stop dead still." The Australians didn't react visibly but Nathan whispered out the count and on five they stopped. Daryl could hear it then. A few footsteps and then silence.

"We're bein' followed," Daryl stated simply, his hand going to the hilt of his knife.

The Australians were scanning the area. Nathan looked at Christine significantly and pointed up the nearest tree. Christine nodded and for the second time today she climbed up out of reach.

Daryl figured what Nathan had worked out. If they couldn't see their stalker then most likely they had a poor view of them.

Daryl started walking again and the soldiers followed suit. Daryl hoped the person following them was too hyped on adrenalin and keeping enough of a distance that they didn't notice that the fifth member of the group had gone missing.

They had gone maybe fifty meters when they heard a crash and a feminine grunt. They whirled around and back tracked to the tangle of limbs on the ground. The soldiers had their guns trained on the person under Christine.

Daryl was incredulous as he swung his crossbow up.

"Andrea? I almost made you a pin cushion."

"Andrea?" Yussuf asked, having heard plenty of stories about the blonde woman.

"Do you mind?" Andrea croaked out. For such a small person, apparently Christine made quite an impact when she jumped out of trees.

"Why are you following us?" Nathan asked and Daryl noted the sergeant hadn't stopped aiming his gun at her.

Andrea pushed herself to her feet, seemingly oblivious to the weapons pointing in her direction.

"I came to help."

"Really?" Daryl sounded surprised. "I thought you'd picked y'side." He knew he was being accusatory but he didn't care.

Andrea had the grace to look embarrassed. "I'm not gonna stand by and let Michonne and Rick die."

"Put a bullet in his head, that'll stop it," Daryl said.

"I'm not killing Phillip!" the protest shot out of Andrea's mouth before she could stop it.

"Phillip?" Elias spoke up for the first time. Daryl could read the conflicting thoughts flashing over Andrea's face. She didn't want to see Michonne or Rick executed but despite everything she had feelings for the Governor.

Daryl actually sympathised. After what Merle had done to Glenn, Daryl knew he should hate him but it was easier said than done to turn your back on a sibling. Yes, Daryl sympathised but not enough to put the people he cared about in danger.

"What're you suggesting?" Nathan asked.

Andrea shot the sergeant a suspicious glance. The Australians were strangers and she didn't trust them and they clearly felt the same way about her. It was interesting that Daryl was the bridging link between the two parties.

"Y'wanna help, then talk!" Daryl interjected.

"He's planning on killin' them, two days time. Makin' it a big event. I'll help you sneak in during the gladiator flights at the start."

Christine narrowed her eyes. "Gladiator fights?"

"Two people fight surrounded by walkers. It's staged," Andrea hastened to add.

"What about you? Won't he know you helped him?" Elias asked Andrea.

Andrea shifted uncomfortably. "I'll deal with that when it happens."

"Where are they keeping Mara?" Nathan asked.

"Who's Mara?" Andrea was confused.

Daryl's heart sank.

...

Mara quickly learned the Hispanic man's name was Martinez and after those first two hits he had not raised a hand to her again. No, it was the Governor that was the real bastard. She was left in blessed solitude for only an hour before he returned to interrogate her.

How many people were in the prison? What was she doing here? How much weaponry did they have? Each question was punctuated with another hit. None of the blows were enough to knock her out but her lip was bloody and the last assault had torn open the skin on her cheek bone.

Mara was tapping into some resolve deep inside that she didn't know she had. After each strike Mara managed to lift her head up and smirk at the Governor. She expected it to infuriate him more than simple silence would have but he just smiled genially.

The first time he left the room, Mara let out a strangled gasp and her body slumped forward against her restraints.

Sometimes he didn't have any questions. He came into the room to tell her that Michonne and Rick would be executed. When the Governor had left the room, Martinez had given her some water, only a little but it was already breaking the rules.

"Just tell him what he wants," Martinez had advised her.

Mara shook her head, her lip too swollen to talk.

Martinez had pulled the seat out across from her. Sitting down, he regarding her seriously, "he didn't tell you everything just then."

Mara managed a grunt. It was all she could articulate but she wanted him to go on. She saw the way Martinez winced every time the Governor struck her.

"He's going to _pardon_ Michonne, as a present for Andrea, then he's going to exile her." Martinez's voice was laden with disdain.

"But he's not is he," Mara rasped.

"No. He's going to keep her... for himself."

The pause told Mara all she needed to know. The Governor thought death was too quick for Michonne. He wanted to make her suffer the way he had. Martinez gave her a significant look when he saw she had figured it out and then left her.

Mara was starving at this point. They'd given her water but just enough to keep her alive. She had no way to judge the passing time in the windowless room. For all she knew two days had passed and Rick and Michonne were already dead.

The Governor could have marched on the prison and killed everyone she knew. In the empty room all she had were her thoughts and Mara found hers drifting more and more frequently to the darkest scenarios.

Mara couldn't sleep properly. With her head hanging forward and her eyes closed, Mara tried to gather her strength. She was still running through escape options in her head though the list kept getting shorter and more outlandish.

The next time the door opened Mara took in a deep breath before raising her head, preparing for a fresh onslaught.

Mara stared up at the Governor with bloodshot eyes and absurdly all she could think in that moment was that he was a tall man.

The Governor pulled out a chair across from her and sat down. He looked completely at ease with the situation. His legs were stretched out and his ankles hooked over each other. His scrutinising gaze was made no less intense by the eye patch.

"So you're still alive then," he observed casually. He could have been commenting on the weather.

As if the Governor's words had power, her cheek began to throb worse than ever. Mara eyed him steadily. Fear began to penetrate the numbness she had surrounded herself in.

The Governor rubbed his chin with his hand. "You were the one with Merle's brother when you crossed paths with my people in the woods."

Mara stayed silent. She wasn't sure what he wanted yet. Her eyes darted to Martinez but his face was blank. She would get no help from that quarter.

"I hear you made quite a memorable impression."

"You hear I killed them, you mean." Mara's first words were croaky.

Martinez tensed and he glared at Mara. Despite the fact he had helped her they weren't friends. A lazy hand wave from the Governor sent him back against the wall.

"Gonna hit me too, or you not allowed?" Mara asked him.

"Oh he is," the Governor said conversationally. "If we can have a civil conversation then he won't have to. You think we could manage that? I'm a friendly guy, we can talk amicably, right?"

The man was crazy. He'd been beating on her for the last few days and now he was acting like they had just been introduced. Mara met the Governor's stare and saw the coldness in its depths. Keeping her tone equally light she said, "if I had a hand free, I'd stab you in the throat."

The Governor chuckled and Mara managed a withering smile.

"Well aren't you feisty. You're like an alley cat."

"That's me," Mara said dryly. Her mouth felt like dust from the dehydration and fear.

"No wonder you're close with Merle's brother. If he's anything like Merle, that is. Not big on manners but useful and a bit feral. I'm going to kill them too you know," he said the last part nonchalantly.

Mara's eyes hardened and she felt a flush of anger. "You've done enough to Daryl," she snapped.

The Governor leaned forward interested. "Oh I hit a nerve there. What's the littlest Dixon to you, Alley cat?" Behind him, Martinez shook his head imperceptibly.

Mara didn't answer, refusing to be drawn in to revealing more information about herself.

"What I want to know is what an Australian is doing here?"

Mara looked surprised.

"I'd recognise that accent anywhere. You're military aren't you? What's your name, Alley cat?"

"Corporal Slater, Australian Armed forces."

The Governor sat back in his chair and crossed his arm, satisfied to have gotten a straight answer.

"The question is what to do with you, Alley cat?" The Governor sighed. His nickname for her set Mara's teeth on edge but she endured it. He could be inflicting a lot more damage on her.

"Why don't you kill me like Rick and Michonne?" Mara asked with a steady voice but inside her heart was banging in her chest.

"I'd prefer not to offend the only nation with a working military just yet."

Mara didn't tell him that they weren't the only nation or that their military was stretched so thin they could hardly go avenging one dead woman.

"Are you familiar with the concept of Stockholm Syndrome?"

Mara nodded wordlessly.

"Imagine how it would look if one of their own turned on them." The Governor was grinning maliciously. "All the nice things you could tell the Australian army about me. It would be good to have some powerful allies."

"You can't be kind enough to me to sway my loyalties."

"No but I can break you down so far that even giving you the most meagre of amenities that allow you to be a human being will seem like the greatest kindness on earth. When you're dying of dehydration, starving and suffering extreme sleep deprivation we'll see how much your ties to your friends mean to you."

Mara could see that he was crazy and evil. Maybe he hadn't always been that way and the southern gentleman charm had been just that and not a mask for a monster but not anymore. The power trip he was on had created a cruel maniac.

And in that moment Mara understood him better than she had before.

"I know why you didn't put me in that death parade before," Mara said quietly.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, you have these people believing your delusions. You can call Rick and Michonne the enemy, have them killed and that's a public service." Mara smiled and she could feel her cracked lips start to bleed again but she didn't stop talking.

"But me, I'd ruin that illusion. I remind them that you're not the almighty leader. You're just a man in a town. I know where you're government is. Your president is still alive. I could tell them that. I could give them something to believe in that isn't you. I could take away your power."

Mara half thought she was talking gibberish but the way the Governor got to his feet, slowly and dramatically let her know she had stumbled on to one of his fears. Losing this town and his status.

Mara grinned more, knowing she must have looked horrifying in her current state.

The Governor didn't speak for a moment and Mara could see the fine trembling rage in his body.

When he spoke his voice was even but it sounded forced. "I was going to give you something to eat but now I think I'll leave you with Martinez for more question time. I did ask you to be civil."

The Governor stood back and gestured Martinez forward. Martinez approached slowly, apology in his eyes. Martinez hit her with a ferocious back hand.

Mara's head snapped back with the force of it and her vision dimmed. The Governor looked satisfied with that hit.

He left the room curtly leaving Martinez and Mara alone. Mara could hear voices outside. It sounded like a woman was shouting at the Governor. But she couldn't focus on what was happening outside of this room.

"Martinez?" Mara said. She spat out some of her blood on the floor and turned back to face him. "You hit like a girl."

**AN: I'm not a hundred percent sure how I feel about that interrogation scene. When I originally wrote it ages ago, Martinez was the abuser but then he had to go develop some character definition in later episodes and I had to rewrite. So I'm hoping the Governor didn't end up to caricature. **

**Please read and review. Makes my day.**

**MD666**


	15. Chapter 15

Daryl was restlessly pacing the top of the over turned bus. He was keeping an eye on the passage of the sun just waiting for time to pass. He just wanted to get to Woodbury already but the timing had to be perfect. They couldn't afford to be too early and risk getting caught. They also couldn't be too late or they'd have to pluck Rick and Michonne out from the middle of a rabid crowd.

And he still didn't even know if Mara was alive.

Yussuf pulled himself up on to the bus and stood quietly on the edge, eyes turned to the forest watching the walkers. They were antsy too, as if they could sense Daryl's impatience.

"We'll find them," Yussuf said confidently. Daryl wanted to believe the man, he really did but Yussuf barely believed his own words. He had been sombre since they'd gotten back to the prison, acting like Mara was already dead.

Daryl grunted in response shifting his crossbow from one hand to the other. He wasn't sure why he was on guard. The Governor had such a spectacle planned for tonight it was unlikely that he was going to come bearing down on them.

Glenn walked down to lean against the bus, joining the vigil. He had a number of guns strapped to his body and a protective vest on. Nathan wanted to take in a group to be reckoned with, leaving only Maggie, Carol and Carl to protect Hershel, Judith and Beth.

Daryl knew that if they didn't make it back then the ones they'd left behind were at the mercy of the Governor. The options made Daryl feel sick in his stomach, this having to choose between the lesser of two evils. But he knew Rick would have gone to rescue any one of them and so there was no choice, not really.

There had been a lot of tearful moments last night. Maggie and Glenn had snuck off to the guard tower. Daryl had no one to steal off with and so he went to stand guard. If he was going to die then his last act would be protecting his group.

When he'd seen Maggie and Glenn go off together he couldn't help thinking of his own lost opportunity. Mara. Mara with her soft skin and her confidence. Mara who was probably dead now. He wished he'd been bold enough to take advantage of her offer when he could have. If she was really gone then he would have liked more memories of her to file away in his brain. Daryl could almost picture her underneath him, arching into him, her fingers digging in to his shoulder blades.

Daryl shook his head. It was stupid to be fixing on things that he couldn't have now nor ever.

He'd seen Carol crying but she didn't seek him out. Carol knew that it would just make Daryl feel more guilty. Daryl was sure she'd say something to him before he walked off with the other members of the rescue party.

And now, here in the daylight, Daryl could feel every minute tick by like it was an eternity.

As it closer and closer to when they had to leave, the group of people grew until every member of the prison was standing there.

Carol came closer and slipped her hand into Daryl's free one. He didn't pull free knowing that he needed this moment as much as she did. He wanted to promise her that he'd fight tooth and nail to come back to her. That he would never abandon her as long as there was breath in his body. He wanted to tell her that she was his family now, pure and simple. But Daryl didn't have the words. He hoped he was conveying everything he felt with the press of his hands against hers. Carol's sad but knowing smile indicated that she understood.

"It's time," Hershel said simply.

Carol brushed his hair off his forehead with a weak smile.

Daryl tried to smile back at her but it was just as pathetic as Carol's attempt. Nathan led the way out of the prison. Christine stabbed two walkers that were close by. While most of them were sad and despondent Christine was mad.

Daryl knew he had to channel some of his own anger if he wanted to survive the night. He fell in to step next to Christine and caught her eyes.

"Let's go kill some assholes," he said. Christine's smile was the first genuine one he'd seen all day and it was terrifying.

...

Andrea appeared out of the dark like a ghost. She was just silently there; her face was paler than usual.

"C'mon," she gestured. She led the way down the side of the town. Andrea stayed in the shadows until she found what she was looking for. A bit of sheet metal that could be bent back just barely enough for a person to squeeze through.

Andrea hesitated before she said, "in here."

Once they were inside Nathan hissed, "We're here to save Michonne, Rick and Mara." Daryl tried not to notice that he paused a little before adding Mara to the list.

The sergeant continued, "We're not here to slaughter indiscriminately. You all bear that in mind."

The last bit was aimed pointedly at Christine and Glenn. Of all the people there it was obvious Nathan thought them the most likely to let their emotions control them.

"There are innocent people here," Andrea added emphatically.

Daryl thought he could hear music further in the complex. He guessed the fights had begun. He could still hear the baying of the vicious mob ringing in his ears.

Andrea swallowed, "This way." This betrayal sat uneasily with Andrea. The confident woman Daryl knew was gone. But Daryl didn't suspect that she'd deceive them. Sure she was guilty of putting her trust in the wrong people but Daryl had done the same in his lifetime. Andrea was a good person and she wouldn't stand by while innocent people were killed.

The group followed her lead. Daryl hung back in the rear scanning the rooftops for enemies.

Andre led them to a building and pointed across the street. She didn't talk and raised her eyebrows in a significant way. Elias poked his head around the building and raised two fingers for the benefit of the rest of them.

Nathan moved up to stand next to Elias. The sergeant strung his bow and Elias followed suit. They rounded the corner and before the guards could open their mouths they were struck down. The soldiers moved fast and efficiently.

Andrea winced as the men fell. Daryl wondered whether these two were her friends. But he couldn't spare sympathetic thoughts for people standing between him and what he was after.

Andrea darted across the empty space and threw open the doors to the building. "We don't have a lot of time. They'll come for them soon."

Yussuf and Christine took point, pulling their guns out. The rest of them pulled out their knives. They weren't expecting to run into any walkers but they didn't know.

Glenn visibly tensed as he crossed the threshold but he was flanked by people he trusted and so he clenched his teeth and walked down the stairs.

Andrea and Daryl were the last ones left at the top of the stairs. Daryl went to push past her to follow them but Andrea put her hand on his chest to stop him.

"Wait," Andrea said.

Daryl stepped away from her touch. "I don't have time for this," he snapped.

"Do you want Mara or not?"

Daryl was relieved to hear Mara's name but the way Andrea was acting making him nervous. "What's goin' on, Andrea?"

"Rick and Michonne are down there but he's keeping Mara somewhere else. You don't have to time to go to both places together."

"Why wouldn't y'just say this at the beginnin'?"

Andrea paused, she couldn't meet his eyes.

Something about someone as assertive as Andrea avoiding direct contact had Daryl very worried.

"Andrea?" he prompted keeping his voice low and urgent. He was conscious of time restrictions.

"I didn't want the others to see her," she blurted out.

"Meanin' what?" he demanded.

"I didn't want them to see what he's done to her."

Daryl grabbed Andrea by both her shoulders. "What has he done to her?"

Andrea spoke in a rush. "I knew you'd focus on getting her out and not on revenge."

Daryl swore, not liking how this sounded at all but Andrea was right. The priority had to be getting them all to safety and not retribution.

"Take me to her," he said curtly. Andrea nodded and rushed off in the other direction. He shot a reluctant look down after his vanished team wishing he had time to tell them where he was going. Nathan was going to be pissed when he saw Daryl had broken ranks.

He cursed again and dashed off after Andrea. She led him up a side street and into another building. She opened a door that revealed a new set of stairs. Daryl followed Andrea down into the basement. The fluorescent lights were muted and the corridor was eerily abandoned.

Once they were inside Andrea slowed right down, stepping carefully and softly. Daryl replicated her so there were no footsteps echoing off the walls. Daryl knew what Andrea's actions indicated. There was a guard down here somewhere and Andrea was trying not to alert him. He didn't know why she was bothering; he could hear music down here too.

They rounded the corner and the guard bolted upright from where he was leaning against a wall. Daryl was thankful he hadn't been vigilant because it gave him time to slam his crossbow into the guards face, knocking him unconscious before he could turn his gun on Daryl.

The guard slumped to the ground and Andrea was feeling in his pockets. Daryl was confused until she held up a key. Daryl snatched it out of her hand and jammed it in the lock.

His impatience caused him to fumble and he ended up putting his shoulder to the door to bust it open. It flung open and he stumbled into a room. The music he'd been hearing was a million times louder in the room.

He couldn't hear himself think and when Daryl spotted the CD player to his left, he ripped it off the wall, sending it tumbling to the ground.

The room felt over bright compared to the corridor and it took a second for Daryl's eyes to adjust. When they did he could see a hunched figure with their head hanging forward. Mara.

At the destruction of the CD player, Mara lifted her head slowly. The sight of her face stopped him dead. The whole right side of her face was swollen and bruised. The right cheekbone was gashed.

When she saw Daryl a sob escaped her throat and Mara's entire body slumped forward. Daryl rushed to her side, slinging his crossbow across his body as he went. He gently cupped her jaw in his hands, lifting her face to the light. He felt an icy cold rage ignite inside him after his up close inspection.

Her lips were cracked and bloody. Daryl looked up at Andrea who was awkwardly hovering in the door way.

"This is what your Governor does t'people," he spat at her. Andrea was looking at Mara with a horrified expression on her face.

Daryl pulled his knife out and cut through the tape. Mara flexed her fingers and Daryl could see the colour rush back into them. Daryl didn't want to think about how long she'd been strapped to the chair.

"Thanks," Mara breathed out and some part of Daryl relaxed when he heard her speak. He wished he had some water with him but he had loaded up with weapons, not supplies.

"We need to get y'outta here," Daryl said to Mara, trying to keep his tone in check. He wasn't mad at Mara and wanted to be gentle with her. "C'mon now."

Mara lifted her shaking arms to put them around his neck. Daryl wrapped his arms around her waist to help her stand. Daryl knew it was in his mind because of how battered and vulnerable she looked but Mara felt tiny against him.

He had never seen her so defenceless.

Daryl kept her arm slung across his shoulder and his own was still securely around her waist. He knew he couldn't use his crossbow with only one hand so he switched to a gun. It meant that he couldn't be as stealthy.

"My sword," Mara said softly. Daryl scanned the room and saw her sword up on one of the highest shelves. He shook his head. Maybe they left it there so the sight would torture her but it seemed stupid when he snatched it up himself.

He fit it over her body and already she looked better. Mara was more determined with her weapon even if she clearly wouldn't have the strength to use it.

"Now give me a gun."

Daryl opened his mouth to argue with her but Mara cut him off. "Now!"

She had an angry feral look in her eyes. Daryl had never seen Mara so unhinged, not even when she had attacked him.

Andrea wordlessly took the gun off the fallen guard's body and passed it to Mara. Mara grabbed it out of her hand.

"Let's go," she said. Her words were confident but Daryl could tell from the way she clung to him that her legs were barely holding her weight. Sitting for days straight would have cramped her muscles.

Andrea took the lead again and Daryl noticed that she had her gun out in her hand now. It looked like Andrea was making a decision about which side she was on. Maybe seeing the pitiful state that Mara was in invoked the urge for women solidarity.

They struggled up the stairs and Daryl was starting to worry. He was taking more and more of Mara's weight. If they saw any action they were going to be screwed, especially with Andrea's split loyalty.

The street was empty and Daryl breathed a sigh of relief. Mara still had the gun in her hand but despite her insistence, it was hanging loosely and uselessly near the ground.

Daryl saw figures rounding the corner and he instantly tensed, raising his own gun to defend them.

"Put that down," Christine hissed as she got closer. She ran straight up to Mara to check on her friend.

Daryl nodded at Rick and Michonne who looked fine. Daryl did notice Rick was favouring his left leg but it wasn't stopping him from moving fast.

"Michonne, Rick, do you think you could support Mara?" Nathan asked.

Daryl opened his mouth to protest. Now he had Mara he didn't want to let her out of his sight. Christine had a similar look on her face.

Nathan spoke quickly, cutting down any objections. "Daryl, we'll need arrows. Christine, you're not tall enough."

Rick stepped forward, clapping Daryl on the shoulder as he and Michonne took Mara's weight. Mara was looking more and more out of it. The adrenalin of the initial rescue wasn't enough to over ride her damage.

Daryl switched from his gun to his crossbow. He needed to get his head in the game. Yussuf and Elias had looked Mara over but, satisfied that she was in no immediate danger of dying and knowing there was nothing they could do here right now, they kept their bows loaded, pointed outwards.

"You need to go now!" Andrea prompted.

"Andrea's right," Rick said. "They're gonna notice that the guards they sent to get us aren't coming back real soon."

"Let's move," Nathan instructed. Yussuf, Elias, Nathan and Daryl took the lead with their bows. Glenn and Christine brought up the rear, effectively flanking Michonne, Mara and Rick.

Andre hovered uneasily on the outskirts of the group, unsure whether to join them but unable to walk away just yet.

Just when Daryl was beginning to think that they had done it, armed men appeared in their path.

"Shit," Yussuf breathed, only seconds before he let an arrow fly that took down one of the men.

His companions managed to shout before Elias and Daryl nailed the other two with their own shots. There was no way that their shouts hadn't attracted attention and Daryl hurried to reload.

The street seemed to flood with people: Woodbury's army.

The Governor may have had the numbers but Daryl and his companions had been tried and tested. While the citizens of Woodbury had been sitting safely behind walls, Daryl had fought tooth and nail alongside the people in this group.

There were gun shots but the dark and the chaos meant that they all went wide. The guards of Woodbury were losing their focus now that they were being attacked.

Daryl fired another arrow and switched to a blade when he got close enough. He could see the fear in the eyes of the man he confronted. No, not really a man. A teenager perhaps.

Daryl's gut twisted but he didn't hesitate. The boy could kill him just as easily. Daryl lunged and the boy's courage broke. He scampered off and Daryl was relieved. He was glad this world hadn't gotten to the stage where he had to kill children.

All the seasoned warriors were taking their time getting to the fight and the Governor was nowhere to be seen yet but Daryl had no doubt he wouldn't be far away.

He heard someone shout his name and then a bullet tore past his ear, so close he could feel the shift of air. He ducked instinctively. Andrea was the one who had fired. He glanced behind him and saw she had shot a man who had fallen with his knife in his hand. He was inches away from Daryl and his intent had obviously been to stab him.

"Thanks," he said gruffly. Andrea was still posed awkwardly, her gun pointing past Daryl. She was breathing heavily and had a distressed expression. Daryl stepped closer, warily. He was aware of the battle raging on either side but he used his hand to lower Andrea's gun. She was so tense that a twitch might make her pull the trigger again and her target may not be as well chosen.

This close he could see that Andrea was shaking and he cursed internally. They didn't have time to deal with her ethical dilemmas.

Christine appeared by their side. "We've gotta push on." She was talking too loud; an over correction due to the fire fight. Andrea didn't move so Christine wrapped her arm around her bicep and yanked her forward. Daryl followed in their wake, watching their backs.

Rick and Michonne were up ahead. Rick was supporting Mara and shooting with his right hand. Michonne had stepped away from the pair so that she would have enough room to draw her sword.

Mara had drawn her knife and though she was leaning heavily on Rick, she seemed more alert and her feet were solidly underneath her. She glanced over her shoulder and her eyes met Daryl's.

Daryl moved faster to close the distance between them. The group had gotten too spread out and that was dangerous. Nathan was calling them in to gather tighter.

Out of nowhere, a man tackled Daryl. Caught unaware, the pair went sprawling to the ground. Because he had been using his crossbow he hadn't thought to draw his knife. He'd have to fight this one with his bare hands. Luckily his attacker was more ballsy than skilled. He didn't seem to know what to do now that Daryl was on the ground. Daryl slugged him twice in the jaw, despite the fact he was on his back.

Glenn came running up and used his arm to create a choke hold on the man. The man reared back, clawing at Glenn's arm to get air, freeing Daryl. Daryl got to his knees and slammed his elbow into his attacker's nose. The man slumped forward unconscious. Glenn grabbed a fistful of Daryl's shirt to haul him to his feet. Daryl snatched up his crossbow.

He could hear new shouting. Through the commotion, Daryl could see the Governor on the outskirts of the fight. There was a small smile tugging at his lips which made no sense. The prison group had almost fought their way free. There was hardly any obstacles standing between them and escape, and the people blocking them were obviously skittish.

Elias was pushing forward the sheet of metal, creating a bigger space then they had originally slipped through before. Daryl could hear the screech of bending metal over the gunfire. Yussuf and Elias went through first, followed by Rick, Mara and Michonne, who had slid back into her position supporting Mara.

Nathan and Christine kept up a solid stream of gunfire while Glenn followed his team out. Andrea was hesitating. Daryl could see her staring at the Governor, confusion written all over her face.

"You better decide quickly. You comin' or goin'?" Daryl asked. Without waiting for her response, he ducked through the opening after Glenn. A few seconds passed then Andrea was on the same side of the fence as Daryl.

Glenn clasped her hand briefly and Michonne had a larger smile than Daryl had ever seen on her before.

Nathan and Christine squeezed through the gap and Elias shoved it closed with Yussuf's assistance.

"Let's get moving," Nathan commanded. Daryl knew they had hit the Governor harder than either side had expected to. Those weren't soldiers they had killed in there, they were citizens out of their depth. Woodbury would have to take a moment to mourn, see to their injured and bury their dead before counter attacking.

A single walker lumbered into sight. Not being able to understand the concept of being outnumbered it snarled its way over. Yussuf drew his knife and stabbed it in the top of its head.

Elias moved to Mara and scooped her up completely. The strong man lifted her like she was nothing more than a feather. Daryl admired Elias's strength. Probably he could carry Daryl with little effort also.

Now their opponents were dead and didn't have guns, didn't necessarily mean they could slow down. There were still walkers in these woods and they needed to get back to the prison. All the noise would attract them and there wasn't a single person amongst them that wasn't bleeding from some cut or wound.

They moved through the woods like the devil himself was at their heels. They encountered the odd walker but it was dispatched quickly and viciously.

When the prison loomed into sight Daryl felt his exhaustion hit him like a wave. Seeing Carol and Carl standing by the gate really drove the sensation home. They had survived.

Carl was shouting for his father and Carol was half laughing and half crying.

The gate opened and closed with a clatter, sealing them safely inside for now.

Elias had carried Mara the whole time without faltering or complaint but now they had the leisure of time Daryl could see the big man was just as worn down as himself. Nathan noticed his faltering Corporal and took Mara out of his arms.

Mara's face made Daryl's stomach clench with worry. She was pale under the blood and battery. Her eyes were tightly shut and Daryl didn't know if it was exhaustion or if she was unconscious.

The rest of the group was worse for wear too. Rick's limp had become more pronounced to the point where Glenn often had to reach out a hand to steady his friend. Yussuf had a nasty cut in his chest that would need to be seen to.

Andrea had trailed along behind them; distancing herself from the welcome party.

Maggie had been watching from the cage and she came running down to embrace Glenn. He hugged her fiercely, whispering something in her ear that Daryl couldn't, and didn't want to, hear.

When she separated from Glenn, Maggie took the time to observe the group. "I'll warn my father," she said quickly and dashed off.

**AN: This is a long chapter. I thought I might try and redeem Andrea a little bit. I never thought she was a bad person in the show, just unceasingly stupid. She couldn't stand to see a woman beaten down and that's what causes her to take a stand here. Anyway, please let me know what you think.**

**MD666**


	16. Chapter 16

Mara could feel her cheek throbbing when she woke. It took a minute for events to come back to her.

She had been rescued. Her team had come to save her, Rick and Michonne, and nobody had died.

Mara felt like she had been beaten with a stick and she gingerly rolled on to her back. For the first time she caught sight of Hershel sitting in a chair, reading a book.

Seeing her eyes were open, he shut the cover and raised the book a little so she could see the title.

"Seems everywhere you go, you can find the good book." He placed it on the floor and leaned over to take Mara's pulse at her wrist.

"You'll be fine with some bed rest. You were severely dehydrated and exhausted but there is no lasting damage."

"I feel really weak," Mara confessed, hating that her voice sounded like a reflection of her body. Frail and damaged.

"You haven't eaten yet. A good meal and some more sleep and you'll be up and about again."

"Is everyone else ok?"

"Rick's gonna be hobbling for a few days and Yussuf needed some stiches but by some miracle y'all alive."

Mara leant back on her pillow and breathed a sigh of relief. She was terribly glad to be out of that tiny room, having all her senses overwhelmed to the point of pain, but if any one of her friends had died getting her out of there then that would have haunted her for a long time.

"I'll get you some food," Hershel said with a kind smile. He got the crutches underneath him and then Mara was alone in the room. She curled her fingers into the rough, scratchy bedding of the prison and thought she had never felt something so wonderful.

The uncomfortable texture solidified the fact that this wasn't a dream. Thinking back, when she had first seen Daryl she thought he was a coping mechanism, conjured up by her brain to get her through it.

But a phantom image couldn't have done the real Daryl justice and if he was just a mirage of her own making surely she would have made him smell better or less dirty. Remembering him cut her loose made Mara smile and then wince at the terrible pain in her cheek.

Probably she shouldn't be critical of how Daryl looked right now when she was less than a pretty sight herself.

Christine appeared in her cell carrying a bowl of soup.

"Do I have to feed you because I've never been great at playing nurse?" Christine was joking but Mara could see the caution in her eyes.

"I think I'm good." Mara wriggled into a sitting position and was please to note that her body was obeying her despite a few niggling bites of discomfort in her legs.

Christine gently deposited the bowl in Mara's lap before dragging the chair closer.

Mara managed to get a few mouthfuls down while Christine watched in silence.

"I'm really glad you're ok," Christine said quietly.

Mara put down the spoon. "So am I."

"We'll have to start sparing soon, get you fighting fit again," Christine said with a grin, seeing for herself that Mara was alright.

Mara reached across and took her friends hand in her own, just enjoying her company.

"So I hear Yussuf got stitches on my account."

Christine laughed. "He keeps talking about how chicks dig scars."

"Oh god, I just hate ruining his delusions."

"Someone has gotta keep him realistic," Christine shrugged. "I'll let you sleep some more."

Mara stretched out once Christine was gone. She was enjoying having that option after being tied to a chair. She had just closed her eyes when she could faintly hear movement at the opening of her cell again. It was the barest rustle of clothes and breath.

Mara didn't open her eyes, she only knew one person who could move that quietly.

"Could you just sit with me a while?" she murmured.

There was silence as the figure froze and then heavier footsteps as Daryl entered the space and took the chair Christine had just vacated.

Mara opened her eyes a crack to look at him. She couldn't see any injuries on him.

He pulled out some arrows and a rag, intending to busy himself with chores.

Daryl caught her watching him. "Weren't y'supposed to be sleepin'?" he said wryly.

Mara closed her eyes again without saying anything. A gentle smile tugged at her lips, amused by his scolding tone. She found the sounds of Daryl working soothing.

...

Mara healed fast. Daryl had been keeping a close eye on her recovery process. He knew his interest in Mara's recuperation had raised some eyebrows amongst the prison's population – except maybe Carol, who looked like she was just short of a 1950s wink every time she saw him – but nobody commented on it. The Governor was consuming everybody's attention. They had all set about making the prison even more impenetrable.

Daryl had been pleased when Hershel announced that Mara's wound were mostly superficial. Occasionally she moved a bit stiffly and she got tired quicker than before. The bruises had faded and all that remained was a thin white line of scarring but Daryl suspected even that would fade over time.

It was only one week later that Mara announced she would be joining him for his normal patrol. He had been going out with Yussuf but Mara had convinced Nathan to let her resume normal duties.

Daryl would have argued with her but he was frankly too excited at the idea of escaping the prison. The Governor had every one on edge. He still hadn't struck back after their latest rescue attempt. Apparently that last mission had made a larger dent in his armed forces than either side could have anticipated. It was one thing to have the numbers but if they buckled under pressure then they were useless.

He didn't feel the need to talk to Mara as they ventured out in to the forest and she was quiet as well. He intentionally kept his pace slow, not wanting to push her. Daryl also planned on going on a shorter route today, sticking close to the prison.

If Mara noticed that he was taking it easy she didn't comment. It was probably wise to not wander too far because of the Governor as it was. There was also the threatening weather. It was actually an overcast cast day and Daryl guessed from the humidity in the air and the distant rumblings of thunder that they were due a storm soon.

Daryl couldn't help sliding sideways glances at Mara out of the corner of his eyes. She said she was fine and he trusted her to know her own body but still Daryl was having a hard time forgetting the first few seconds of finding her in that grungy room.

"Would you quit that?" Mara finally said. Apparently he hadn't been all that stealthy after all. He turned to face her fully and noticed she was grinning at him. Daryl allowed a rueful smile to cross his face before he shrugged.

"Just makin' sure you ain't gonna pass out on me. Don't wanna havta drag your heavy ass around again."

Mara sighed, "Still charming."She took a step forward and her foot snagged on a branch. She went flailing forward at the same time there was a crack of thunder.

Daryl seized her bicep to keep her upright. "You ok?"

Mara brushed his hands aside. "Quit yer fussin'," she said, doing an uncanny impression of him, accent and all.

Daryl shifted his weight awkwardly and he opened his mouth to speak but Mara cut him off, "C'mon, we're wastin' daylight!"

"That was downright unnatural," Daryl muttered.

Mara looked pleased she had managed to turn his own words against him. He was so use to her Australian accent that hearing her replicate his style of speaking was just plain weird.

There was another clap of thunder, this one even closer. They'd have to turn back to the prison soon or risk getting caught in the storm. Just as Daryl thought that the first drops of rain began to fall.

As they got close to the prison the rain got heavier. The ground was getting muddy and slippery and Daryl didn't want to get stuck fighting walkers in these conditions.

It was with a start that he realised that Mara wasn't right behind him like usual. He spun around to find her standing still a few meters back, her arms outstretched and her head tilted back in the rain.

"What the fuck are you doin'?" He snapped, worry making him lash out.

Mara was unconcerned by Daryl's tone. "Just enjoying the moment."

"Yeah like that explains anythin'" Daryl grumbled, crossing his arms in the downpour. His hair was plastered to his forehead as he watched Mara have what he suspected was a mental break down.

Daryl strode over to her, intending to drag her out of the forest if he had to but the peaceful look on her face stalled him. He supposed she could have a few minutes to act insane if she wanted to.

Mara finally looked at him and Daryl was sure he was radiating impatience.

Mara merely looked amused. "Look, you're almost clean," she said and then randomly used her fingers to wipe dirt of his cheek.

Daryl hadn't expected her to touch him and he felt the path of her fingers on his cheek burning. Mara's actions had been just as impulsive judging by the way she snatched her hand back and looked at the ground.

Daryl cleared his throat. "Let's be headin' back. I'm already soaked." He sounded hoarse for some reason.

The thunder and lightning were right on top of them now, giving them a reason to run and a distraction from each other. Daryl could still feel something between them; that much was still unresolved from before her abduction.

At the prison everyone had gathered in the sheltered outdoor area to watch the storm.

"Do you think the thunder confuses 'em?" Carl was asking as Daryl and Mara ran up.

"Who is them?" Rick asked.

"Walkers."

"How so?" Hershel asked, from his seat holding Judith.

"Well they're attracted to noise, right? So what happens when they try and follow the thunder?"

"Good question," Yussuf said looking confused.

"Maybe they just keep following it to the end of the earth?" Beth suggested.

"Well then I'd wish the earth was flat and they'd fall right off," Maggie said.

Carol looked at Daryl and Mara dripping away and shook her head. "You two should go dry up some. You're gonna catch your deaths otherwise."

Daryl wanted to argue with Carol when she was in mother mode but he couldn't fault her logic and he would just look like a petulant child disagreeing with her. Mara was already walking inside and Daryl strode after her.

"Damn, we just got told," Mara said softly when Daryl caught up with her. Daryl snorted. Even Mara was sheepish when Carol got that tone of voice.

As soon as they got into their cell block, Mara automatically kicked off her shoes and peeled off her army jacket, standing there in a black tank top. Daryl eyes widened. The water had made the top cling to Mara's skin so he could see every curve of her body. Her upper chest was slick and wet and Daryl found himself tracing the line of her collar bone with his eyes.

"They can make the stupid things bite proof but not water proof?" Mara was saying oblivious to Daryl's reaction to her. When he didn't answer her, she turned to look at him confused.

As Mara looked at him standing there her expression changed and Daryl was sure she knew how she was affecting him. His own shirt stuck wetly to his body and he felt exposed. Daryl was hyper aware that it was just him and Mara in this cell block.

Mara took a wary step toward him, gauging his reaction. Daryl was experiencing the flight or fight response keenly but nothing was translating to his feet or his mouth. He just stood there mutely as Mara got closer and closer.

Mara paused just before her body touched his. She was so close though that Daryl could feel the heat of her skin. Daryl knew he should move away. Mara was his friend and friends didn't cross some lines. But he didn't stray an inch from where he was.

Mara was giving him ample opportunity to escape, watching his reaction to her proximity for cues.

Mara put a tentative hand on his chest. His heart was hammering under her fingers. Mara tilted her head upwards and pressed her lips to his, going slightly on to her toes to close the distance.

Daryl clenched his fists, wanting to grab her hair or jerk her towards him but knowing he had to be gentle. Mara captured his bottom lip softly between hers.

Mara leaned back and Daryl let out the shuddering breath he'd been holding. Touching Mara filled him with desire and terror in equal measure. Instead of moving back Mara took that last tiny step forward, pressing the front of her body against his.

Maintaining eye contact, Mara caught both of Daryl's hands and put them on her hips. Daryl instinctively dug his fingers into her soft skin losing some of the tenuous control he had. Mara cupped Daryl's face in her hands and brought his mouth back to hers.

When her tongue touched his lip Daryl responded in kind. As the kiss intensified his hands slid up her back and Mara's hands tangled in his wet hair. Her fingers caught and the unexpected pain caused him to growl low in his throat and pull Mara even closer.

They broke apart abruptly, panting for breath. Mara rested her forehead against his, her eyes closed. Her chest was heaving with ragged breaths and Daryl felt a sense of masculine pride that he had caused that reaction from her.

Her eyes still closed, she pressed her lips to his again. "I want you," she said simply, talking against Daryl's mouth. Those three words caused Daryl's whole body to respond. He wanted her too, so badly.

He nodded and with her so close his nose brushed her cheek. Mara grabbed his hand and pulled him towards her cell and Daryl tried not to let his panic ruin this for him.

...

As soon as they were in the cell it was like a switch had been flipped and the Daryl who had clutched her so desperately to him before had vanished.

Mara was standing there with a timid, uncertain man. None of day-to-day Daryl's brashness or bravado was present.

He sat down on the bed, acting as if he was being led to the firing squad.

"Are you ok?" Mara asked quietly. She may be a million times more confident than Daryl in this area but her self-esteem wasn't limitless or impervious.

Daryl was picking at his finger nails. "I ain't done this before." He spoke to the ground.

"As in with a woman you have to see the next day?"

"At all." Daryl spoke so quietly that Mara had to strain to hear him and the enormity of what he was telling her was lost for a few seconds.

Mara was stunned. She had known Daryl was awkward and insecure but Mara had just assumed that most of his relationships with women had been of the drunk one-night variety.

"So you're a –"

Daryl snapped his eyes up at her, forbidding her from saying the word out loud and daring her to make fun of him. That caged and wary look in his eyes was heart wrenching.

"This is unexpected," Mara said, more to herself than Daryl.

Daryl's discomfort reached its limits and he went to rise off the bed. Mara grasped both his shoulders and pushed him down. Before he could try and escape again, Mara moved forward and straddled him.

Mara had to admit she enjoyed the astounded look on his face almost as much as she enjoyed the feeling of his toned body under hers. Regardless of his lack of experience Mara was still wildly attracted to him. In fact his vulnerability gave her an intoxicating sense of power.

Mara ran her fingers through his half-dry hair, pushing it back past his ears.

"I guess we'll start with the basics this time." Without further conversation Mara grasped the bottom of her tank top and tugged it over her head.

Mara didn't want to give Daryl time to think because for him thinking just led to self doubt. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. His hands hovered over the bare skin of her back before lightly touching her. The feel of his rough hands against her naked skin sent a shot of warmth running low in her body.

Mara had never taken anyone's virginity before. She wasn't so sure how to go about it; she just wanted Daryl to feel safe. Mara knew that this change of circumstances meant this couldn't just be physical. Even if they said they were just friends Mara would always be his first and Daryl would always be the man who saved her life.

Their kiss became less gentle and the focus switched from exploration to trying to get as physically close as possible.

Mara had one hand cupping his neck and the other resting on his chest. She could just make out the hint of his tattoo. She knew it was script but had never gotten a close enough look to read it. Mara ran her fingers down the v shaped opening of Daryl's shirt. She could feel the light dusting of chest hair and the strength of his muscles in his upper body.

Watching his face closely, Mara grabbed the bottom of his shirt and tugged lightly broadcasting her intentions. Daryl tensed very suddenly and Mara paused.

Though it killed her a little to speak the words she said, "we can stop, any time you like."

Daryl shook his head. He gripped his own shirt and pulled it over his head. He didn't relax any though. He sat there awkwardly with his hands at his sides.

Mara tried to think of something soothing to say but her brain wasn't in control of her body any more. She was fixated on this new access to Daryl's body. Mara knew Daryl didn't see himself that way she saw him. To Mara, he was beautiful.

Mara lightly ran her hand over his abs. "God, you're hot." It was probably the least poetic thing that could come out of her mouth but her blunt comment made Daryl smile and he relaxed that tiny bit more.

Mara trailed her hands up his body, relishing in being able to touch Daryl with his permission. She noticed a ragged scar on the left side of his abdomen. She traced it, her touch questioning.

"Arrow," he grunted in answer.

Mara leaned forward and kissed his neck, breathing in his scent. He smelt of wet forest and sweat. The combination was incredibly arousing because it was just so Daryl.

Mara worked her way up his neck, taking her time. By the time she brushed her lips along his jaw line Daryl was breathing heavy and his hands were travelling up her back again. Mara could feel them resting under the clasp of her bra and she knew what Daryl wanted to do even if he didn't yet have the courage to follow through.

Grinning coyly, Mara leant back and unhooked her bra. She swung it to the side and dropped it to the floor. Mara grasped Daryl's face between her hands and kissed him, pressing her upper body flush against his.

Straddling him meant the Mara could feel Daryl's body reacting underneath hers. Uncomfortable and embarrassed, Daryl tried to shift back a little. He didn't understand that the sensation of him hard against her was incredibly erotic. Mara arched her back, pressing down on Daryl and keeping him in place. He groaned at the increased pressure and his fingers dug into Mara's shoulder blades.

Mara's fingers danced along the line of his shoulders and began to move down Daryl's back. Daryl's hands shot up and grabbed her wrists. In a display of dominance Mara didn't expect from Daryl he jerked around so that she was on her back on the bed and underneath him.

Her surprise was over ridden by the feel of Daryl's body on top of her. He still had her wrists pinned above her head. A thousand questions popped into her mind about his bizarre and abrupt actions but they faded into the background as she focused on Daryl's sharp blue eyes.

Mara was losing the will to take things slow. His gaze was roving over Mara's exposed skin, drinking in the sight of her. Daryl brought a shy hand to rest against her ribs, his thumb tracing a line under her breast.

Her patience at an end Mara used her free hand to work the top button of his pants loose. Taking Mara's lead, Daryl sat back a bit to undo her pants. He fumbled the zip just slightly. Mara was faster and she slid her hand into his open pants.

Her eyes widened when she quickly realised there was nothing but Daryl under his pants. Needing no more of a sign than that, Mara wrapped her fingers around him. Daryl eyes closed briefly and he didn't see Mara's small smirk.

Mara released him to the sound of protest but she was just focusing on getting the last of his clothing off him. Despite the awkward angle she managed to push her own pants off and her underwear quickly followed.

They stayed like that for a heartbeat, just feeling the length of their naked bodies pressed closed together.

Holding eye contact even Mara felt a flutter of butterflies in her stomach and something about the situation struck her as surreal. She never would have predicted upon meeting this man that she would have grown fond of him, let alone aching to have him inside of her.

Mara reached down to guide him. The sensation of him entering her bowed Mara's back and she threw her head back with a gasp. There was the slight, delicious edge of pain.

Daryl's expression was a combination of shock and wonder. He paused there, taking his weight on his elbows.

When he didn't move Mara brushed her lips across his. "Are you ok?" she whispered.

"Yeah, you?"

Mara answered his sweet question with a proper kiss. She raised her hips up to encourage him. He began moving slowly, eyes focused on Mara's face, diligently watching for any sign of discomfort or pain. Mara found his attentiveness adorable but his pace maddening.

Threading her fingers through his hair, Mara lifted her face so she could lightly nip his earlobe. She was already finding that he responded to the tiny bit of hurt. Daryl speed up some, satisfied that Mara wasn't breakable.

He shifted his position slightly and the next thrust hit Mara at just the right angle, causing her to gasp more vocally than before and swear.

Daryl froze. "Did I hurt you?"

The look of extreme concern on his face made Mara laugh, which was the wrong thing to do considering who she was with and Mara knew that a second later. Anticipating his next move, Mara wrapped her legs around his waist, preventing Daryl from escaping.

"It was a good noise. Don't you dare leave." She sounded more commanding than she intended but the idea that Daryl might stop touching her was unacceptable. It seemed that Daryl had a similar view point that trumped any offense she may have caused.

It didn't hurt that her actions had pulled Daryl to her even deeper.

Mara couldn't control the little moans that she emitted. They were both beginning to sweat and Mara had to reach back and grab the metal bar of her little cell bed. Daryl's rhythm was slipping and Mara could tell that he was close. Daryl's hand was on the back of her thigh holding her close. He'd already wildly exceeded her expectations for an untried virgin.

Mara bit down on his shoulder, knowing the sharp sting would send him over the edge. Daryl captured her lips with his so that when the moment came they were connected in every conceivable sense.

Daryl tensed and grunted, burying his face in Mara's shoulder. His body shuddered above hers and then was still. Mara was breathing heavily, her hair strewn chaotically over her face. From his position Daryl ghosted his lips over the arch where her neck met her shoulder.

Mara felt boneless. If she felt this much satisfaction from one encounter, even without her own climax, what would it be like once Daryl had some more experience. His attentiveness to her comfort hinted at the potential for a considerate and giving lover.

Daryl rested his forehead against Mara's, struggling to even out his breathing. Mara could still feel his heart beat hammering against her chest.

While they rested there, a thousand different words ran through Mara's mind. What she could say. What she _should _say. She felt heavy with the emotion of the experience and Mara's tongue was laden with a desire to share it with Daryl in this beautifully intimate moment.

Daryl's eyes were soft and Mara got the sense that he was feeling the same palpable connection she was. She opened her mouth about to throw caution to the wind and say exactly what was on her mind.

"Mara? Daryl? Are you in here?"

"Shit, that's Carl," Mara hissed. Daryl was away from her like a shot and before Mara even had a chance to blink he was pulling his shirt and pants on. Mara tumbled off the bed to shove herself into her clothing in record speed. She didn't even bother to put on her underwear or bra.

Daryl was out of her cell and into the main part of the jail just as Carl rounded the corner. Thankfully the boys hollering had far preceded Carl himself. Mara staggered out a few seconds after, knowing their appearance would never fool an adult. Mara's hair alone would be a dead giveaway, let alone the smell of sex on their skin.

Thankfully Carl, though adult in some ways, couldn't recognise the tell tale signs.

"What's takin' you so long?" Carl asked in the bored way of someone sent to inquire but with no real interest.

Mara was stumped. She didn't have any logical excuses. She was still standing there in damp clothes for god's sake.

"Mara thought she lost her knife. I just helpin' her look," Daryl answered.

Carl didn't care. "You have guard duty with Yussuf," he said simply. Daryl nodded tersely at the young boy but didn't make a move to leave.

Mara crossed her arms. She wanted just one moment with Daryl to say something, to establish how they were going to be with each other now that this momentous event had occurred.

Andrea walked in to the cell block, coming to stand behind Carl's shoulder. She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it with a snap. Andrea eyed Mara and Daryl speculatively and Mara winced, certain that Andrea knew exactly what was going on.

Daryl covered again by calling, "I'm comin', I'm comin'" and searching for his shoes.

"I bet," Andrea said dryly. Daryl's shoulder tensed and Mara's posture became defensive.

"Huh?" Carl was confused.

Daryl shoved his feet into his boots and ran down the stairs without so much as a backward glance. He grabbed Carl by the collar of his shirt and pulled him along behind him.

Mara padded down the stairs barefoot to meet Andrea.

"I imagine you'll be keeping this to yourself," Mara said. She hoped that her expression conveyed how serious she was. It wasn't a request.

"Imagine I will," Andrea responded evenly.

Mara and Andrea hadn't had much cause to talk since they had come back. It wasn't that Mara had a particular problem but each woman reminded the other of something they'd rather forget. To Mara, Andrea was a symbol of what had happened to her. To Andrea, Mara was a constant reminder of what the man she loved was capable of.

Mara nodded at Andrea and headed back to her cell to make sure she was more presentable when the others arrived.

**AN: So there's that. It has been a long time between updates but I haven't forgotten. After much um-ing and ah-ing I decided to make Daryl a virgin in this fic based on what NR has said in interviews so I hope this scene translated realistically but was still kinda sexy.**

**If everyone who followed and fave'd this story reviewed this chapter it would make me wildly ecstatic. I know fanfic is fickle but this lack of reviews is disheartening. End of whine, as my other TWD fic gets heaps of reviews, I'm just being ungrateful lol.**

**MD666**


	17. Chapter 17

Daryl couldn't concentrate on guarding. Visions of Mara floated in his mind as he stared out in to the darkness surrounding the prison. Yussuf was chatting away happily, oblivious to his companion's silence. Daryl being terse was not out of the ordinary but he didn't want to think what Yussuf would say if he knew that Daryl had been doing with Mara a few hours ago.

Daryl hadn't spoken to Mara since. He saw her go for an afternoon run with Christine and Maggie. She was slipping back in to her routine. She looked totally at ease with her friends, all talking together as they stretched and cooled down. Mara didn't even send a glance his way.

Daryl felt a little disquiet creep into his brain. What if he had done something wrong? Mara had looked awfully serious right before Carl's appearance. What if she had hated it? Daryl had no evidence to support his growing pessimism but he always went to the worst case scenario.

"Don't think too hard, it'll start to hurt," a voice said from behind him and he jumped. The object of his thoughts was standing at the base of the bus, looking up at him amused. Daryl wasn't easy to startle. Daryl scowled back at her.

Yussuf reached a hand down to help Mara and pulled his fellow soldier on to the bus.

"How is it going?" she asked.

"You know how the saying goes," Yussuf answered, "its quiet, _too_ quiet." He tried to inject a sinister undertone to his voice.

"It would be quiet if you'd stop chatterin'" Daryl grumbled but he agreed with Yussuf. The anticipation of an attack was worse than the actual fight. He found himself strung tighter than his crossbow, which he had semi raised as he sighted grasping walkers at the fence.

"Well Sarge says keep your eyes peeled. How long has it been since you did a perimeter walk?"

Yussuf checked his watch. "'Bout due for another one. You wanna go or should I?" He directed the question to Daryl.

"I did the last one."

"You're no fun," Yussuf teased and swung himself off the bus. "If you hear screams, I don't want you to disturb yourself. It'll just be me – dying!"

Daryl rolled his eyes.

Mara watched Yussuf walk away and as soon as his back was turned she ducked around Daryl's crossbow and kissed him.

Daryl's stomach felt hollow as a rush of adrenalin pounded through his veins. She kissed him hard and fast before quickly moving back to a respectable distance. No one who looked now would suspect anything.

Mara smiled shyly. "I know I shouldn't have done that while you're guarding but I didn't get the opportunity earlier."

Daryl's relief was immense.

Mara wasn't dressed for duty at the moment and she looked beautifully normal, standing there in pants and a tank top, hair unbound around her shoulders. There was a slight breeze was blowing on this mild evening and one strand of hair had curled over her cheek.

After a furtive glance to check that they were still alone except for the dead, Daryl raised a hand and tucked the strand behind her ear. His fingers brushed her cheek and he couldn't help thinking of his actions as propriety.

_We're supposed to be friends_; Daryl tried repeating in his head. Friends with extras, he thought emphatically. But in that moment Daryl didn't feel very friendly.

He wanted to gather her to him and pull her down on to the surface of the bus with him. Guarding be damned.

Out of her military get up she just looked like a regular girl. If he didn't have the crossbow maybe he'd look like a regular man; not two of the last people left in the country.

Mara was watching him closely. "I gotta get back inside. Try and remember what I said about thinking too hard." She raised her hand as if to touch him but then quickly withdrew it to her side, fist clenched. Mara's smiled seemed forced after that and Daryl couldn't figure out what might have gone through her head. She was off the bus and heading back towards the prison before he could even ask her.

...

Mara didn't look over her shoulder as she walked back towards the prison. She knew that an expression of longing would be painted all over her face. Kissing him had been risky enough but she was fighting the urge to run her fingers over his face, mapping every line and angle.

They had blurred the lines of friendship this morning and Mara didn't think that idly running her hands through Daryl's hair, just because she could, was going to do anything to establish boundaries.

Mara knew that was because she didn't have any. The second she felt their naked bodies pressed together, felt the _rightness_ of it, she knew she'd give herself over body and soul to that brooding, damaged man. But Mara had enough sense of self preservation not to offer this. Because Daryl was not at a stage where he could take that on, even if he wanted to. Mara got the sense she had barely brushed the surface of his issues and while they had been intimate, they weren't close.

She found Christine and Michonne comparing notes on swords and it was the most animated Mara had seen Michonne. To Michonne, the sword was more than a tool of survival, it was an art form. Mara conceded that Michonne's skill was far superior to hers or Christine's and so she could fully understand why Christine was picking her brain.

Mara slid in beside Christine but didn't join the conversation. Christine shot her a puzzled look. Spending all your time with a person meant you got pretty good at sensing their emotions but Mara wasn't ready to talk about what had happened with Daryl. For now it was hers. Just hers and his.

If Christine had asked her though, if she regretted it, Mara would have said she did not. Despite all her other worries, questions and cautions, that was one thing she was certain of. With that thought in mind Mara managed a convincing smile to reassure Christine.

Later that night, Mara heard Daryl come back in to the cell block. The second half of the night guard had been taken by Elias and Maggie. She could hear his boots on the metal steps, just barely a scratch of metal. Mara was envious of the light way he walked. In comparison she felt like she clomped along.

The rest of the cell block was quiet. Mara felt an impulse strike her like lightening and she was lying there fully awake. It was bold move even for her. Mara swung her feet off the bed and touched the cool ground. She padded to the entrance of her own cell. Moving slowly and carefully so as to not make any noise, she approached Daryl's sleeping form.

Mara wondered if he could sense her moving toward him. Mara was sure that even her breath had stopped in an effort not to make any noise. Daryl didn't move. She pulled back the covers and inched in next to him, cursing the thin mattress.

The next instant she was on her back with a knife pressed to her throat. Mara exhaled in a rush, her eyes wide. Daryl's blue gaze burned into her, seeming more furious when he recognised her. Despite her heaving chest Mara's words were calm. She raised an eyebrow at the knife.

"Kinky."

Daryl became aware that he was still holding the knife against her and quickly dropped it to his side.

"What were y'thinkin'? I coulda killed you!" Daryl hissed those words out.

Mara knew he was right and that the scolding was justified but for some reason his anger inexplicably turned her on.

Daryl was still caught in a tirade of admonishments. Mara ignored him, reaching down between them to press her palm against him. She knew she looked smug when he instantly stopped talking, his whole body tense. Taking advantage of his surprise, Mara rolled them so she was on top. They were off the mattress now and had made more noise then she would have like but Mara found it hard to care.

"How about you tell me off later?" Mara suggested softly.

...

Daryl woke up sprawled on his back alone; wondering if last night had been a dream. Mara had invaded every other aspect of his life, why not his dreams too?

He sat down for breakfast next to Beth and Carl. Mara walked into the room, discussing something with Nathan. Daryl stared at her profile; she was standing side on to him. He couldn't tell from how she was acting if she'd actually snuck in to bed with him.

Finished with her conversation with her sergeant, she turned to greet him. The movement caused her hair to flutter away from her neck just slightly and Daryl caught a faint glimpse of a red mark on her skin.

If he was anyone else, he might have just dismissed it but he knew better, because Daryl knew that was a bite mark and he had done it.

Images of last night ricocheted inside his head. Mara on top of him, legs wrapped around his waist as he sat up to gather her hair in his hands. It ran through his fingers like silk and he had pressed his hot feverish mouth to the arch of her neck and bit down. Not too hard but enough for Mara to clasp a hand over her mouth to muffle a little cry.

Now that Mara was facing him he could see that there was something in her smile and the light of her eyes that told him she was thinking about last night too. Daryl was concerned about the bite. Hopefully no one would notice the claim he had left on her skin.

**An: I'm trying this thing where I write smaller chapters and hopefully update more regularly. It just seems by the time I finish those chapters, years have passed – which is an exaggeration obviously but you get the idea. Because I'm all about the feels over sex, I just didn't feel that needed more than a few glimpses of what happened, especially since I wrote it all out last chapter. I'm building up to big brother Dixon showing up but it's still a little in the future. **

**Thanks for everyone who reviews, faves and follows. It's my favourite holy trinity.**

**MD666 **


	18. Chapter 18

A week passed like that. Mara shooting him discrete, flirtatious looks and Daryl fumbling along awkwardly, surprised he hadn't scared her off yet.

Since they had a history of being paired for patrolling, nobody thought it was too odd when they found excuses to disappear together. Some excuses were better than others. For instance Carl didn't bat an eyelid when they told him they were going for an impromptu hunting trip. However Carol looked like she wanted to say something when Daryl mumbled about fixing stuff in the boiler room.

With each other they pretended like it was some huge secret but Daryl was realistic. He knew most of the other's had figured out what was going on. But he couldn't bring himself to care. For once everything was going the way he wanted. If the Governor would just vanish into non existence then everything would be perfect.

That was the thought at the foremost of his mind when he was lying on the hard concrete of the boiler room. Mara's head rested on his chest and her hand tracing the ink pattern on his bicep. His fingers trailed up and down the length of her bare back. He felt lazy and content. Every time they spent longer holding each other and just talking. Mara made him laugh and he found she was genuinely curious about his life before walkers. Daryl liked prolonging this moment, before he had to find his clothes. That was always a tense moment, hiding his back from Mara, which by some miracle he had managed to do so far.

"If there were no spooks this would be the time when we should start going on dates," Mara said randomly.

Daryl's hand stilled. "Dates?"

Mara shrugged with a tiny grin. "Sure. If you'd ask me," she teased.

Daryl snorted, "You're not my type. I'd never ask you out." His tone was light to eliminate the sting.

Mara rolled her eyes. "Why not?"

"You're too" _good, smart, beautiful_ "snobby."

Mara punched him lightly in the chest. "Ass." Now she was looking down on him, her curious gaze still there. "Ok, imagine you asked out a girl who was just you're type," She sounded a little sarcastic here, "what would you have done?"

Daryl was stumped. He couldn't even imagine asking a woman out on a proper date, let alone what he would consider his type.

"I guess, we could go on a hike," he offered awkwardly.

Mara settled back against him, apparently satisfied with his weak response. "I think I would have liked going on a date with you," she murmured against his skin.

Daryl knew she was being nice. They'd been thrown together because of extreme circumstances. There was no way in the world Mara would have sought him out if they'd met by chance on the street. Which would have been fairly unlikely considering she was Australian and he came from Georgia, USA. Still he let himself indulge in the fantasy that out of all the people in the world Mara had picked him.

...

Mara knew she should be focused and professional but a goofy grin kept etching its way across her face.

She just couldn't deny it, today was a good day. Nathan had asked her and Daryl to do some tracking in the woods which meant sanctioned time together. Certainly they couldn't spend it rolling around in the leaves, having sex but Mara liked being with him in any capacity.

Mara had come to that conclusion when she'd been helping him feed Judith once and the infant had vomited all down the front of her and she hadn't minded one single bit.

It had rained last night and the woods had taken on a damp, sharp smell that somehow felt clean to Mara. Like the rain washed away some of the blood and death this world had seen.

Daryl was intent on his job and Mara still admired his skill. In the woods, Daryl was truly in his element. Mara thought it was very sexy but then again she found everything Daryl did sexy these days. She was flushed with the honey moon period still.

"Stop that," Daryl said.

"Stop what?" Mara was startled.

"Watchin' me. You're supposed to be watchin' for walkers." The admonishment was lessened by the hint of pride in Daryl's voice.

Mara shook her head. Despite Daryl's inexperience with women it was ironic how quickly he assumed that typical male smugness. He had a point though. She wasn't doing her job.

Mara drew her sword. The hilt in her hand centred her and she began scanning the area for spooks. There were no sounds that one wouldn't expect.

Daryl had narrowed his eyes.

"You see something?" Mara was pleased to hear her question was brisk and business like.

"I'm not sure." Daryl looked up, squinting into the panorama. Mara could see that he had pinched up some of the dirt, running it through his fingers.

"You're not sure?" Mara was incredulous. The great Daryl Dixon, tracking extraordinaire, was fallible?

"It looks like someone was coverin' their tracks," Daryl didn't sound like he believed it. Obviously not many people were smart enough to consider that.

"I'd clap," a voice drawled, "but y'know."

Mara had her sword up and pointed at the man as he rounded the tree.

She knew who he was before Daryl spoke.

"Merle," Daryl breathed.

"Pleased ta see me lil brother?" Merle's voice was rough but Mara heard the underlying affection. Whatever Merle was, he loved his brother. Mara didn't lower her sword. She'd heard enough stories from other people in the prison.

"I figured you for dead." Daryl struggled to keep his face blank and failed. Mara looked at him sharply. Such raw emotion on Daryl's face was rare. The last time she'd seen him like this was the first time they –

Mara stopped that trail of thought in its tracks. Not the time, she reminded herself.

Merle became aware of her presence all at once. "Y'wanna get that pigsticker outta ma face."It wasn't a request.

All traces of fondness, of warmth, had vanished and he was sizing her up coolly. His southern accent was far more pronounced than Daryl's.

Mara tightened the grip on her blade. Merle didn't have any weapons apart from the makeshift knife strapped where his hand should be.

Daryl raised a pacifying hand. "Mara, please."

Merle's eyes widened minutely, an expression so tiny she almost missed it. Mara wondered what Merle had caught.

Mara looked between Merle and Daryl, torn. She didn't want to exacerbate the situation but she didn't trust Daryl's judgement. Mara felt like she'd just discovered Daryl's blind spot and it was grinning at her.

Mara could feel her lip curl at Merle's arrogance. He was so confident that Daryl would pick his side, defend him with his last breath and, standing here, Mara didn't think she could disagree with him. It made her feel sick.

She lowered her sword to the ground but Mara didn't put it in her sheath. She wasn't stupid.

"Thank you," Daryl said, grateful.

"Well well," Merle said, speculatively.

Mara was tense and defensive. "What do you want, Merle?"

"I see my reputation precedes me. Ain't got much love for me do ya girl?"

Mara defiantly lifted her chin. It was all the answer Merle needed.

He chuckled darkly. "That ain't fair, ya only just met me."

"Where you been?" Daryl cut in. "I thought you were dead!"

Merle's attention was back on his little brother and Mara could see it again. That look of propriety.

"Nearly was but I've been around, keepin' an eye. The scenery keeps gettin' better." Merle leered at Mara.

Daryl squared his shoulders, displaying, for the first time, an emotion other than relief.

"Down lil brother, I'm not interested in sharin' your chew toy."

Mara's fingers curled into a fist but she didn't say anything. Merle had seen them together for a minute, two at the most, and he'd already deduced more than Rick or Nathan had. Merle was a dangerous man to know.

"Surprised to find ya strollin' round so casual like. It ain't safe."

"Safe enough," Daryl countered. "We hit the Governor hard-"

"Ya think he's off lickin' his wounds right now?" Merle laughed. "He ain't curled up somewhere feelin' sorry for hisself. He's recruitin'"

Mara's stomach felt hollow. "How do you know?"

"'Cause I seen it, Darlin'. He got a big group from down the ways some."

"And they just sided with him?" Daryl asked.

"He can be persuasive. Makes you feel like ya need a cigarette after a conversation, y'know what I'm sayin'?" His grin had faded when he mentioned the Governor but his mirth was back; more obnoxious than before. "'Supposin' you do now."

Daryl blushed and Mara didn't find his sexual innocence endearing at the moment. He was giving Merle exactly what he wanted. Knowledge. Knowledge equalled power.

"We have to tell Sarge and Rick," Mara interrupted.

Mara saw a hint of fear in Merle's eyes. Interesting that mentioning Rick had done that. Probably knew that there was a man he couldn't bully. Unlike Daryl.

"Y'all invitin' me to visit?" Merle prompted.

Mara fought a scowl. There was no chance in hell Daryl was leaving Merle behind now and she could see the older Dixon knew it too.

"Can I talk to you for a second, Daryl? Alone!" Not waiting for an answer Mara seized his upper arm and yanked him to the side. Merle looked amused.

"Ouch," Daryl hissed. "What's this about?"

"You know exactly what this is about. You know what he did to Glenn."

Daryl shifted uncomfortably. Mara could see that he knew the exact ramifications of bringing Merle to the prison.

"He's my brother," he said softly, his tone pleading with Mara to understand. Mara's heart thumped painfully at the obvious wounds that Merle had reopened in Daryl. She wished she could shield him from Merle but she couldn't and even if she could, Daryl wouldn't thank her for it.

Mara sighed. "Guess we better head back, but he goes first. I don't want that son of a bitch behind me."

...

Glenn took one look at Merle and launched at him. His eyes were wild and Merle hadn't been expecting that kind of ferocity. The force of Glenn's attack drove both men to the ground.

"Glenn, stop," shouted Maggie. Yussuf grabbed the back of Glenn's shirt and dragged him back.

Yussuf's face showed surprised when Glenn's feral thrashing almost released him. Christine was there to pin Glenn's arms to his side. Carl uncertainly pulled his gun, not sure if he could shoot Merle.

Merle scrambled to his feet and only Daryl's arms around him prevented him from gutting Glenn. The fury on Merle's face was terrifying. Forgetting that it was his little brother holding him, Merle drove an elbow back into Daryl's face.

Mara sucked in her breath as Daryl fell. His nose was bleeding. Mara instinctively moved to help him. A gentle hand on her wrist stopped her. Carol shook her head, silently telling her the brother's needed to sort out their own problems.

The sight of Daryl sitting in the dust, with blood splattered down his face, caused Merle's rage to evaporate in an instant.

"What is happenin' here?" a voice boomed. Rick had arrived, Nathan and Hershel in his wake.

Rick's expression changed dramatically when he saw the new comer.

"Merle." The one word managed to convey a world of distaste.

"Thought I was dead, Officer Friendly?"

"Hoped maybe, ain't the same thing," Rick answered. Nathan posture was changing now he knew who the stranger was. His hand drifted to his weapon and he exchange glances with his corporals. They followed his example, hands hovering near their own weapons.

If Merle noticed he was now surrounded by armed soldiers he didn't show it. While Merle had his attention on Rick, Elias moved behind him and offered a hand to Daryl, who accepted. If Merle had been watching Mara knew Daryl would never have accepted the help not wanting to show that kind of weakness.

"He came to help," Daryl said, his teeth bloody.

"That's right, I'm just like that Samaritan from the good book," Merle added, looking anything but angelic.

"We musta read different books," Hershel muttered. It was the first time Mara had heard anything even approaching sarcasm come out of his mouth. It appeared Merle could bring the worst out of everyone.

"You'll understand if we don't trust you, all things considered," Rick said. Glenn all but growled.

"I did things to you and yours but I've suffered too," he waved his knife attachment to punctuate his point. "But I'm willin' ta turn the other cheek. In the interest of family an' all."

"You tried to kill Glenn and Michonne and your Governor did unspeakable things to Maggie," Nathan spoke calmly.

Merle fixed his eyes on the Sergeant, trying to get a read on the calm man. "He ain't _my_ Governor," he snarled before he could stop himself. Collecting himself Merle said, "So Michonne is here? A lotta unfamiliar faces 'round."

Mara wasn't imagining that Merle's derision became more pronounced when he looked at Yussuf and Christine. Yussuf was oblivious as per usual but Christine met him sneer for sneer. If he thought he could intimidate Christine just because she was petite and Asian he was in for a rude shock.

"Why don't you just say your piece, Merle." Rick sounded weary.

Merle looked like he wanted to tell Rick where to go but he saw Daryl's expectant look and shrugged.

"He's preparin' for war and y'all should be doin' similar."

**AN: And here's Merle! I really hope I got his character right. Please review and let me know what you think. **


	19. Chapter 19

Daryl had half thought he'd never see Merle again but the other half of him knew that was stupid. Merle was like a cockroach. The world could implode but there would be Merle, surviving long past any normal person's expiration date.

The people in the prison were now giving Daryl a wide berth as if the essence of Merle was catching. He couldn't blame them. Most of them had legitimate reason to be wary and none of the Australians were stupid enough to engage Merle in conversation. Well, maybe Yussuf but Daryl didn't know who he'd feel more pity for: Yussuf or Merle.

Mara was mad at Daryl too. She wasn't saying anything but she was avoiding him. He suspected being called a chew toy hadn't done much to endear Merle to her.

He sat on the stairs outside the prison, having escaped Merle's over bearing presence and everyone else's judgmental stares. Mara was running with Michonne and he felt his gaze drawn back to her repeatedly.

"So this is where you're hidin'?"

Daryl squinted up at Carol. She was back lit by the sun and it made her hard to look at.

"I ain't hidin'."

"Sure you ain't," Carol agreed amicably and squeezed herself on to the seat next to him. Carol was the only one not treating him any differently. And Judith but she didn't know any better.

Carol followed his line of sight and shook her head. "That's called stalkin' you know."

Daryl rolled his eyes. She couldn't resist teasing him.

"It wouldn't be stalkin' if she talked to me," Daryl grumbled.

"You're seekin' someone out to have a conversation about feelings?"

Daryl didn't dignify that with a response.

"How _are_ you feeling about Merle being back?"

"He's my brother," Daryl said like that answered everything.

"Yes," Carol said patiently. "And you're you. Try to remember that."

With that cryptic bit of advice Carol took her leave. Daryl wished everyone would just say what was on the mind instead of dancing around the issue.

Mara had finished her run and had spotted him. She said something to Michonne and then began walking in his direction.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hey," Daryl answered.

The silence hung there for a moment before Mara laughed. "Stimulating conversation."

Daryl smiled ruefully, happy to see Mara without a morose expression.

"I'm glad you ain't mad at me anymore," Daryl said awkwardly.

Mara sighed. "I was never mad at you Daryl. I was mad at the situation."

Daryl resisted the urge to point out that made no sense.

"I know Merle represents a lot of complications and that he's your brother but I hope you don't let that cloud your judgement."

Daryl nodded. She wasn't saying anything that Rick, Carol and Glenn hadn't already said to him.

"But we're all good," Mara said. She affectionately brushed his cheek with the back of her fingers.

"I got to get back inside. Nathan wants all the soldiers to help him with something this afternoon."

Daryl watched her go, wishing he had hugged her or something but he just wasn't brave enough.

"Ya did well for yourself there, little brother, that's no mistake." Merle's drawling voice caused Daryl's shoulders to tense but he kept his face blank. Somehow he knew Merle wasn't talking about Mara's personality.

Daryl shrugged; non committal. Just five minutes alone he'd wanted and he hadn't even managed one.

"I was beginnin' t'think think your persuasion ran to battin' for the home team, Darylina."

Daryl shook his head. "You still talk a lotta shit, y'know."

"Well if ya find she's too much to handle, I'd be happy to take her off your hands and get her on her knees."

Merle's tone was suggestive but underneath was the hint of threat.

"Leave Mara alone," Daryl said tightly.

"Oh is that how it is lil' Brother, defendin' what's yours?"

Daryl wanted to claim Mara as his but the words stuck in his throat.

"That's what I thought. Still a chicken shit when it comes to the women folk. But you like her, don't ya!" It wasn't a question so Daryl stayed quiet.

"An' you think she likes you?" Merle prompted. He was mocking Daryl.

"Maybe she does," Daryl answered quietly.

Merle looked startled. That was the way with Merle, he tease and provoke casually with little regard for the facts but occasionally he hit scary close to home. "Y'feel for this girl?" Merle's eyes were narrowed.

"Let me enlighten you, baby boy. Girl like that don't love men like you. She don't even know you."

"Things have changed, Merle." Daryl's voice was coloured with anger and he was beginning to wonder if Merle had found his way back to them just to torture him, to ruin all the good things he had going.

"So what she say when she saw your back then?"

Daryl averted his eyes.

Merle looked victorious. "She ain't seen them then? She doesn't know our dog of a father marked you up."

Daryl got to his feet. "I know you've never been one for listenin' to what I say but leave this alone."

Merle put his hands in the air innocently. "'S your business."

As Daryl walked away he could feel Merle's eyes on his back and knew that he was grinning.

...

Mara came back in from guard duty with Andrea and Carl. She liked the kid but he asked a lot of questions. Today he wanted to know if she'd ever been bitten by a shark. Mara had said yes with a straight face. Andrea had laughed at his shock.

The cell block was abandoned which was unusual but Mara didn't think much of it. With Merle's information the prison residents had been working around the clock, putting in to place their plan. Merle had estimated they had a week before the Governor showed up on the doorstep.

Mara would have thought he was screwing them around aside from the fact she knew he would never gamble with Daryl's life.

She'd barely seen any of Daryl recently. Mara found it hard to swallow how completely under Merle's spell he'd once been but at least he showed signs of some individual thought these days. Mara missed him though.

"Well what do we have here?" a voice drawled.

Mara rolled her eyes before turning to face Merle. "You still here, Merle? I expected you to have thrown Daryl over your shoulder and run off into the forest banging your chest by now."

"While that's some interestin' imagery, I come in peace." Merle's smile contradicted that statement.

"Huh," was all Mara said.

"I got a message. Daryl's lookin' for you."

Mara was sceptical. "Daryl only looks for me when I'm kidnapped."

"As promisin' as that story sounds, I'm just deliverin'. He said he'd meet ya in the shower block."

Mara's eyebrows pulled together. "The shower block?"

"I jist assumed this was some prior arrangement," Merle shrugged, the picture of nonchalance. "Go, don't go. No matter to me."

Mara was torn. Mara didn't trust Merle as far as she could throw him but some time alone with Daryl in the showers? It wouldn't hurt to at least see if there was any truth in what Merle was saying. She couldn't see an obvious angle that he might be working by sending her down to find Daryl except maybe wasting her time.

With another hard look at Merle, she walked away.

As she got closer to the shower blocks she dared to let herself to hope. Against all logic Daryl trusted Merle so it was quite possible that he had genuinely asked his big brother to pass the message along, especially since Merle was one of the few people who knew about them.

Spending some time with Daryl alone was all she wanted right now.

Mara could hear someone moving around and was relieved that she hadn't been sent on a wild goose chase.

She pushed open the door. "I'm surprised to actually see you here."

Daryl's hair was wet and he'd put on his pants. He whirled to face her but not before she saw his back.

...

Daryl's blood felt icy in his veins. Mara face was ashen and she had a hand to her mouth.

Her eyes met Daryl's and he wished that he could meet her stricken gaze without the fear and hostility in his own.

"Daryl," Mara took a step forward.

"No, don't," Daryl said, cowering back.

Mara ignored him, taking another steady step forward.

Daryl wanted to run but Mara held her hands up. "Daryl, please stop."

Daryl couldn't stand the look on her face. He turned so that his back was exposed to her again.

He winced at the intake of breath he heard.

"God," Mara breathed, taking another step closer to Daryl. "You hid this from me?"

He could hear the dawning comprehension in her voice. "It was just casual," Daryl bit out, "Didn't want it to get messy." He was covering, putting it back on her. It was better than admitting he had been too scared; the memories too painful.

Mara didn't answer. He felt the lightest of touches on his back. Daryl tensed and he felt the touch withdraw.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Mara asked.

"I didn't want you t'know I was broken. I didn't want you to look at me with pity in your eyes."

Mara made a sound in her throat and then he felt arms wrap around his middle. Mara pressed her body to Daryl's like a shield. Mara lay a kiss between his shoulder blades before laying her head against his back.

Daryl closed his eyes as they stood together and just breathed. Slowly his muscles unclenched and his heart slowed.

Eventually Mara said, "I'm sorry."

She stepped away and Daryl reached automatically for his shirt. While he was dressing he thought of something Mara had said when she had walked in.

"You said you were surprised to actually find me here. What did y'mean by that?"

Mara shook her head looking embarrassed. "Merle told me you wanted to see me. I should have known he was just messing with me."

"Merle sent you?" Daryl asked, going deadly still.

"Yes," Mara answered slowly. She was looking at him warily, sensing his shift from victim to someone filled with rage.

"Merle sent you!" he repeated. He burst out of the shower room on a warpath. Mara shouted his name and was on his heels.

Daryl barrelled into the cellblock. It was dinner time and heads snapped up when a bare footed Daryl appeared. Merle was standing off to the side with a grin on his face.

The grin vanished quickly when Daryl punched him in the face. "You bastard!"

Despite everything, it cost Daryl to throw that hit, but he wanted to punish Merle, make him hurt like he'd made him hurt. Merle had no such qualms. Amidst the shouts and the chaos of the others, Merle slammed back in to his brother.

Merle smacked Daryl hard in the face. He reeled back but he would have gone after Merle again if Mara wasn't suddenly there, throwing all her weight against Daryl to restrain him.

"It was ta protect you," Merle shouted at Daryl. "You think that prissy bitch there loves ya like you love her?"

Daryl felt Mara's fingers curl into his bicep but he barely registered it. "'Cause no one but you will, right?"

"That's right, lil brother!" Merle spat some of his blood to the floor. "It's always just been you an' me 'gainst the world."

"Yeah 'cepting when it counted," Daryl's voice broke.

"Daryl," Merle took a step forward.

Daryl recoiled. His sudden movement unbalanced Mara and she staggered a little. The movement drew Merle's attention.

"Y'think you're so superior but ta me you're just my brother's leavings."

Daryl exploded out of Mara's grasp but to his surprise Elias got there first. Because Elias was a white male he had mostly escaped Merle's notice so he didn't expect the big man's hit.

Daryl heard bones break on impact and Merle dropped to the floor like a sack of flour.

"Holy shit!" Yussuf cried, having kept silent so far.

Merle was lying on the ground his eyes closed. Nathan bent over and checked Merle's pulse. "He's alive."

Daryl was breathing hard. Everybody's eyes were on him now. He pulled away and ran.

**AN: Welcome to all my new readers. It's nice to get some more positive reviews. I have such a soft spot in my heart for this fic. I don't get to spend nearly enough time on it. Ah Merle, he just can't resist stirring up trouble. It's like a compulsion. Probably why he is so much fun to write. Stay cool, guys. **

**MD666**


	20. Chapter 20

Mara was sitting in her cell bed, flicking through an old book. It was nothing interesting but it was keeping her from obsessing. Daryl had disappeared after the incident with his brother. That in itself wasn't so unexpected but Mara had never seen him stay away this long.

Her heart hurt as she remembered the haunted look in Daryl's eyes and the vicious scaring on his back.

Merle was sleeping off the punishing hit Elias had delivered earlier. Mara had managed to thank the man for defending her honour but then her mind was consumed with worrying about Daryl.

Nathan had tried to ask her for more details but Mara had brushed him off in a completely unprofessional way. As far as she could tell her attachment to Daryl hadn't stopped her from doing her job properly. Except maybe for not driving the blade right through Merle's heart where he stood.

Merle's information on the Governor had been important but Mara wasn't sure he was worth the trouble he brought to the prison. Before he arrived they had settled into a comfortable routine. They were a real community but Merle brought with him a tension that permeated every aspect of life in the prison. The only person kidding themselves about Merle's ability to integrate was Daryl and even that illusion had taken a beating after today.

Mara's stomach twisted at the bone deep betrayal Daryl had felt today.

Mara was beginning to contemplate going to look for him. She knew when he was in this state that Daryl would want solitude but the thought of sitting around doing nothing was intolerable.

The gate to her cell slid open and Mara sucked in a relieved breath when Daryl appeared in the opening.

Her relief vanished as she took in his appearance. There were scratches along his arms and face as if he had run head long into the bramble. His head was hanging down and he wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I didn't want to be alone." His voice was rough, as if he could barely force the words out of his mouth. Daryl hated to ask for help so Mara got a sense of how absolutely desperate he must be feeling.

Mara was by him in an instant, pulling him gently to sit on the bed.

"Stay here," Mara instructed and quickly ran for a first aid kit. The prison was dark and silent, her bare feet made no noise on the floor.

Daryl hadn't moved from his spot on the bed. He was staring off into the distance and Mara felt a sense of panic. He was so withdrawn, even more so than usual, and she didn't know what to say to reach him.

Mara crouched by him, taking his large wrist in her hand. She carefully began to clean Daryl's arm. Underneath the dirt and blood, Mara was thankful to see that all the wounds were superficial.

Mara concentrated on her task, not trying to meet his eyes just yet. He wasn't ready for that. Mara hadn't forgotten what Merle had insinuated. That Daryl loved her.

The bastard had also said that she would never love Daryl. How wrong the idiot had got that one. Merle had always measured Daryl's worth by his attachment to him. Merle had pushed Daryl so firmly into his shadow that he didn't think anyone would recognise Daryl in his own right.

As Daryl shivered under her touch, Mara knew she loved him.

Mara turned to the graze on his face. She could tell from the bruising that this was courtesy of Merle's fist. Mara shifted so she could face Daryl straight on. She was on her knees in front of him.

Mara gently tilted Daryl's chin up. For a second he stared past her at a spot on the wall. Then his eyes focused, sharpening on her and the pain was raw.

Mara didn't flinch, determined to be strong for him. She cupped his uninjured cheek in the palm of her hand, holding him still. With a steady hand, Mara wiped the cut clean. Daryl hissed at the sting of the sterilizing swab.

Daryl looked like he was steeling himself. He was expecting her to reject him.

Mara let her medical supplies fall on the floor, leaning forward to press her lips against his.

Daryl grunted in surprise but didn't move away from her. Mara fit her mouth to his gently until Daryl yielded under hers. Mara was being so careful with him.

Daryl sharply inhaled, his fingers wrapping in her hair. He jerked Mara closer, almost painfully. Mara went to him willingly. Still on her knees, Daryl's thighs were on either side of her. She had to tilt her face up to meet his forceful kiss.

Unhappy at not being able to meet him evenly, Mara moved to straddle him. His hold on her hair made her gasp in pain when she moved but she was happy to do it. She could taste the desperation and need in his kiss. It was reflected in her too.

Mara hadn't realised how much Daryl had meant to her until she had thought she might have lost him. It had petrified her.

His fingers clutched in her shirt. Mara opened her mouth to him and then he was invading her, claiming every inch of her. His force was bruising.

Mara pulled his shirt up and over his head, throwing it behind her. Sitting back on his legs so she could see Daryl properly, she ran both her hands down his chest.

His chest and torso was so familiar to her. The tattoos and the little arrow scar was known territory. Mara still couldn't quite believe that he had managed to hide his back from her but when she tried to remember seeing it, she knew he had truly achieved it.

Daryl gaze was hot and hungry but also angry. Mara liked the hot and she definitely liked the hungry but she wanted to erase that angry hurt look from his eyes.

Mara lifted herself up from him and then moved so she was sitting behind him on the bed so that she could see every inch of his back.

Daryl stiffened. "Don't," he begged.

When Mara spoke her voice was throaty. "You're mine, Daryl. I want every inch of you to be mine."

Mara had never made such a propriety, primal statement but she wanted him to know that she wasn't abandoning him. What she saw made her sad but it didn't make her want to turn away from him.

Daryl's shoulders sagged and he surrendered. Mara hoped it was because he trusted her but some part of her was afraid that he was just to use to complying with abuse.

When Mara ran her fingers along his shoulders, Daryl jumped. Mara didn't touch his scars straight away. Instead she massaged the top of his shoulders. Mara patiently worked and kneaded at his taut muscles. Daryl groaned and Mara could sense his tension lessen.

When she moved her touch down an inch, Daryl sat placidly under her fingers. Slowly she worked her hands up and down his back, taking care to attend to every inch of his skin. Inevitably she brushed the scars. They were ragged and had clearly not seen medical attention.

Mara swallowed but tried to contain her reaction. This was about helping Daryl and not about her giving in to her own sadness.

Daryl finally leaned back against her. Mara wrapped her arms around him. Daryl ran his hand up and down her calf. Mara suspected the motion was soothing him.

Daryl's touch on her skin was light and left a trail of goosebumps in his wake. Completely unbidden, a moan escaped her mouth.

Mara clamped a hand over her mouth, embarrassed that his touch had evoked that reaction from her even in this sombre moment.

Daryl's fingers gripped into her skin at the sound she had made.

Daryl turned to kiss Mara again.

Mara pulled away and said something she had wanted to for a very long time.

"Make love to me."

Daryl's eyes were dark and intense. Mara knew there was a very real possibility that he would still run away from her.

Daryl slipped his hands under her shirt to run along the skin of her stomach. Where he touched her, her flesh seemed to burn.

Daryl lightly peeled her shirt away from her body. Mara didn't have a bra on underneath it so they were able to touch warm skin to warm skin.

Daryl pressed Mara back into the mattress. Her legs hooked around his hips, pulling him even closer.

Mara was struck by how much she wanted him still. Time seemed to stand still for a second but then everything crashed forward.

All tenderness was abandoned and they both fumbled to remove any last bits of clothing. Mara tried to be quiet but she wasn't achieving it. For once she didn't care. God knows, they had all had to listen to Glenn and Maggie enough times.

When Daryl entered her, it bowed Mara's back. All hesitancy of their first time had gone completely.

Daryl set a punishing pace, channelling all his yearning into her body. Mara tilted her hips up to meet him, crying out. Daryl ran his mouth along her neck, grinding in to her. Mara bit her bottom lip, so close to losing control.

As she was pushed over the edge, Mara pulled his mouth down to cover hers, stifling the screams. Pleasure exploded low in her body and ran along the rest of her in fissures.

Mara dug her fingers into Daryl's back. She felt him tense along her body, a shudder running through him.

Daryl lingered over her breathlessly. Mara's legs had enfolded his waist and there was fine trembling in her muscles.

"I-" Daryl started but couldn't finish. He licked his lips and tried again, "I-"

"I love you too."

Daryl's eyes bored into Mara's. He nodded once and then dipped his head to claim her lips. Mara shifted out from under him, forcing Daryl to lie on his side. Mara curled up next to him so that the line of her body was aligned with his back, shielding him.

Daryl's hand circled her forearm.

...

Mara fell asleep before Daryl did. He could feel the beat of her heart against his back. It had raced against his skin and then eventually slowed. The soft flutter of her breath was against his neck; regular and deep.

Daryl didn't know why he stayed awake so long. He was weary to his core, both physically and emotionally exhausted.

Daryl knew no one else was surprised by Merle's actions but him. He wasn't as blind to Merle's faults as everyone claimed but he was his brother. He couldn't be expected to just walk away from blood. That wasn't how things were done. Not in the old world. Not now.

Merle had betrayed him though. He'd had identified the thing that would hurt Daryl the most and set it in motion. He figured Merle still blamed him for not coming to get him on the rooftop in Georgia. Merle just couldn't understand that Daryl had tried his hardest to rescue his big brother. For Merle, that wasn't good enough.

Merle's vindictive streak ran deep and he had a habit of holding a grudge until he thought they were square. Daryl didn't know what could ever recompense Merle for the loss of his hand.

Despite his rage, beating on his brother had torn Daryl up. He was secretly relieved that Elias had stepped in and ended the fight cleanly. Merle now had a broken nose and a new foe to worry about. Merle would always trump Daryl in a fight; partly because he was meaner and partly because he wouldn't hold back even though Daryl was his brother, but Elias was stronger, taller and better trained. Not to mention the exemplary control he had. Daryl had never seen Elias come that close to losing his temper.

Stupid Merle. Attacking Mara like that in front of the soldiers. They had formed a bond as deep as family and would happily defend their own. Their connections had extended to the rest of the prison too and now they were all one big, dysfunctional family.

Mara shifted in her sleep and softly groaned. She was dreaming. Daryl shifted them so now she was tucked up against his chest.

He didn't know how it had ended up here. She'd gone from a woman he actively disliked to someone he loved. And inexplicably she loved him too. Daryl had known their sex wasn't all about the physical but he'd never dreamed that somehow she had fallen in love with him too. He felt a huge sense of relief that the scars were know out in the open. She knew his dirty little secret and it hadn't spooked her.

Maybe he should thank Merle, he though wryly.

Mara looked even younger asleep. In real life her confidence and bravery gave the impression that she was older than what she was but lying here, Daryl was forced to acknowledge that there was actually quite the age difference between them. It had never bothered either of them; Mara was a hard person to take advantage of. Still it made Daryl realise that she should be going to parties and studying but instead she was here in a prison cell bed with him, killing walking corpses during the day.

Just went to show how unpredictable life could be.

**AN: I hope you like this chapter. It's big on the feels hopefully. Thanks to everyone who review last chapter. Made my day. **


	21. Chapter 21

Mara woke feeling hot. The prison was filled with the soft muted light of morning. She quickly figured out the reason for the temperature increase was due to Daryl in her bed. There wasn't much room in these pokey cell beds but Daryl seemed to fit around her naturally. They had never spent a full night asleep in each other's arms.

Asleep, Daryl actually looked peaceful. It was so rare for Mara to see him this still because awake he always burned with energy.

Mara was loath to leave him but she didn't have the luxury of lounging in bed all day with her lover. There was work to be done and Nathan would come looking for her if she didn't get her ass in to gear soon.

Mara was surprised but happy when she managed to shift out of the bed without waking him. She always knew that Daryl didn't take enough care of himself, never really getting much sleep, so Mara figured he'd earned himself a few extra hours in bed.

Dressing quickly Mara exited her cell to find some food. She took an available seat next to Nathan and waited for the inevitable interrogation from her captain.

His stern gaze zeroed in on her the minute she entered but he was patient enough to allow Mara few mouthfuls of food before beginning his line of questioning.

"I didn't know you'd taken up with the boy," Nathan began. Mara always found it hilarious that Nathan called Daryl boy. He was ten years older than him at most.

"Everyone else did." Mara wasn't trying to be smart. She was being matter of fact.

"It's true," Yussuf contributed, picking the most inappropriate time to join them.

"This was probably going to be a private conversation," Mara said tightly.

"And?" Yussuf asked, not budging.

"Can you order him to go?" she asked her sergeant.

"I don't think anyone can tell Yussuf what to do," Nathan said in a long suffering tone.

Yussuf grinned cheerfully as he started eating his food. He waved his spoon in the air inviting them to continue.

"So you and Daryl?" Nathan resumed.

"I guess so," Mara said smiling.

"It's not affecting your work?"

"Have you noticed a slip in my professional behaviour?" Mara asked, straightening her back.

"No, I have not." Nathan took a sip from his cup and Mara realised he had coffee. She had missed coffee and had no idea when someone had found some.

"He's very different from your last gentleman," Nathan observed casually.

"You never met Eric!"

It wasn't Mara's imagination that Yussuf and Nathan now exchanged awkward glances. Mara's suspicion was peaked.

"Sarge?"

"After you ended things via correspondences," there was a note of judgement now.

"We weren't allowed to use phones," Mara protested, flushing slightly. She was certainly not proud of how things ended with her and Eric. But writing a letter had been the only way she had of contacting him.

"Well he showed up on the base," Yussuf took over the story.

Mara was shocked. This was the first she was hearing about it, which was interesting considering Yussuf's complete inability to keep a secret.

"He what?"

"He came looking for you."

Mara wanted to groan. That sounded just like Eric. He always wanted to go for the big romantic gesture but never really thought through the consequences. He was exactly the type of person who would sneak on to a secure military base to see a girl. Mara had never really thought of Eric and Daryl having much in common but she supposed they were both impulsive sometimes.

"Did he get in trouble?" Mara had ended their romantic relationship but she still thought Eric was a decent guy.

"We sorted it out," Nathan said cryptically.

"We didn't want to worry you," Yussuf added, "You'd come so far in your training."

"What did Eric have to do with that?"

Nathan looked uncomfortable. "You seemed to have the hardest time letting go of your past life and that was holding you back."

Mara had known Nathan had been distant from them all at the start but this was news to her. "Are you saying I wasn't very good?"

"Oh god, you were all just awful," Nathan snorted.

"Hey!" Yussuf protested. "I was trained."

"Yeah but you were so annoying it kind of cancelled it out."

Mara was looking at Nathan like he had grown a second head. "That's really harsh."

Nathan fixed her with a knowing look. "I'm sure you remember struggling a little."

Mara did recall finding it tough but it was still a little disconcerting. "I feel like my whole world is coming apart, Sarge."

"Interesting, it's normally Yussuf that goes in for the histrionics," Nathan responded calmly, guessing that Mara was mostly joking.

"You're such a bastard," Yussuf muttered. Nathan stared at him until Yussuf felt compelled to add, "Respectfully, Sir."

"Could have been worse! You could have been assigned Cheiny." Nathan named another team leader that had been abrasive, misogynistic and a little bit racist. Mara and Yussuf both winced. Far better to be with Nathan, who had a far more relaxed approach and therefore commanded more respect as a result.

"Enough chatting," Nathan decided. "Yussuf, I need you to help me to organise the guns around the prison. I don't want anyone getting pinned down without a weapon."

"You still think it's better to wait for the Governor to come to us and not go meet him?" Mara asked. The idea of proactively tracking down the Governor had been thrown around but ultimately with the lack of an organised force they had decided it was better to wait for him to find them.

"I do," Nathan said simply. The time for discussion was done. Nathan always listened to his team's opinions but ultimately he got the final say. "When you're finished eating, please do a permitter check."

Mara half heartedly saluted him and turned back to her food.

Carol slid in to the sergeants abandoned seat, swapping a smile with Nathan as they traded places. "How you feeling?"

"Weird. I barely feel like I'm part of the Australian army. I'm anything but neutral now and it's not like I can ever go home."

Carol hadn't expected her to go into that much detail. "I meant after what happened yesterday."

"I'm fine," Mara answered after a moment's pause. "Did you know about his back?"

"I saw it once," Carol confessed.

"I thought maybe he would have told me before now."

"Daryl has a hard time trusting people," Carol said. "You know that."

Mara had to admit the woman was right. Mara was just trying to cover her own shock and sadness with stupid questions.

"I don't think it's uncommon with abuse victims to feel ashamed of it. Like it might somehow be their fault." Carol's voice had turned serious.

It took a beat before Mara remembered why Carol could speak about abuse with such certainty and knowledge. Impulsively she reached out to grab Carol's hand.

"You aren't a victim anymore," Mara said emphatically.

"I like to think I've changed."

"You have," Mara said, even though she had not known Carol before the death of her husband and daughter. The Carol she knew was strong, confident and kind. She was willing to fight to protect those she loved.

"Will Daryl be alright?" Mara asked in a small voice.

Carol smiled reassuringly. "He will be. He'll have to come to terms with what Merle did but I think he's actually comfortable with the idea you know now."

"I told him I loved him last night."

"Did he run away?" Carol asked.

"No."

"That's progress. You should have seen him before we left the farm. He was like a stray dog that was likely to bite your hand off if you tried to offer him kindness."

Mara considered Carol's words. Daryl had been prickly enough with the strangers at the prison. Mara might have ended up with a crossbow bolt in her gut if their timing had been much different.

Carol sighed. "I should go find Judith. Beth is probably in need of a break."

"I could look after her sometimes if you need." Mara shrugged casually. She'd never looked after an infant before but if Daryl could then surely it wasn't that hard. On the other hand, someone let Yussuf mind Judith once.

"I appreciate the offer but I think the military should probably do military things." Carol winked and then disappeared further into the prison. Mara was starting to wonder if anyone in the prison had a simple back story. Maybe Carl? She was going to have to start hanging out with Carl more often.

...

Daryl woke to an empty bed. He was regretful that Mara wasn't there but she had things to do. Hell, they all did. Daryl dragged himself out of bed and winced. Merle had always fought ferociously and had about the same impact as a runaway train smashing into your body.

Daryl ventured out and entered the common area just as Christina, Michonne and Andrea came in. They looked dirty and rough.

"What happened to y'all?"

"It was raining when we did a sweep around the outside of the prison," Christine explained.

"Rick let a gaggle of girls go snoopin' round? Can't imagine you were much in the way of subtle!" His words were met with some very hard stares. No one had a sense of humour anymore. He was being _sarcastic_. The three in front of him were hardly prone to gossip or giggling.

Daryl cleared his throat. "Ya find anything?"

"Few walkers," Michonne said pulling at her sword. Daryl could see that it needed to be cleaned.

Michonne and Christine drifted further into the prison. Andrea lingered and he could tell from her stance that she wanted to say something.

"I'm sorry about yesterday."

Daryl nodded. "Thanks," he replied awkwardly. Andrea was the only one of the women who had known Merle before he cut off his hand. Not that it made much difference. He'd been a bastard then, he was a bastard now.

He hesitated then gave in to his curiosity. "Is Merle ok?" Daryl knew he sounded a little pathetic for asking. Merle wouldn't have asked after him.

Andrea's face clearly conveyed that she though Merle deserved every ounce of pain inflicted on him. "He's lucky that Elias didn't break his jaw."

"He's got quite an arm on him," Daryl said, rubbing his face absently.

Andrea raised her eyebrows to indicate that was an understatement. Elias had flattened Merle. Daryl really should find the man and thank him. After all, he'd done what Daryl couldn't.

**AN: Just a small chapter today sorry. I'm building up to some action and it shouldn't be too far away. I hope you like it. Please review. If everyone who followed reviewed, my head would pop off in joy... well that was a strange visual. Enjoy your day/evening where ever you are. **


	22. Chapter 22

_Australian Outback_,_ Training camp._

"Yussuf, has nobody ever told you to chew your food?" Christine asked witheringly.

Yussuf looked up startled and tried to answer her around a mouthful.

Mara stifled a laugh but she couldn't blame Yussuf. They had been out bush for a week of training and they'd just now come back to base camp. They had been teaching them to survive difficult conditions. They had had to survive the harsh heat, the cold nights and live off the bare minimum of food and water. They still didn't know what part of the world they'd be shipped to but they wanted their soldiers tough and capable.

Mara was stuffing food in just as quickly as Yussuf but luckily Yussuf always seemed to be the target of their good natured teasing. Mara used to have some curves on her frame but they had mostly melted away due to the harsh conditions. Everyone now looked a little gaunt, a little under fed and a lot exhausted.

"You'll make yourself sick," Nathan chided as he joined them and saw the rate they were ingesting food. "You're only supposed to eat a little bit to allow your stomachs time to adjust."

Nathan trailed off as he eyed the debris on the table. His team were guiltily avoiding looking at the empty packets that once used to contain rations. Elias tried to sweep some of his off the table discreetly but Nathan saw. Nathan saw everything.

"Don't look so disapproving, Sarge. You're lucky Yussuf hasn't eaten the packaging it came in yet." Christine teased and Nathan cracked a rueful smile. Being out in the wilderness, just the five of them, had brought them all closer. Mara had thought Nathan was too terse and bit of an arrogant prick at first but the more time she spent with him the more she regretted that was her initial assessment. Her commander was reserved and firm but he was fair and kind. When they weren't working he allowed them to misbehave and tease him to a certain extent. He didn't crawl all over them for their informality and endured them with affectionate tolerance.

The night was still warm but Mara knew a chill would be creeping in soon. The poorly lit mess tent was open on the sides and it was a struggle to see what they were eating, let alone who was talking. Then again, Mara had been too hungry to care much about what she was eating.

"Well if it isn't my favourite band of misfits," an obnoxious voice cut in. "I half hoped you'd gotten lost and died out there. Guess you didn't let special Ed near the map."

Mara narrowed her eyes at Cheiny and tried not to visibly react. His insults were one thing but his obvious targeting of Elias made her blood boil. Elias had never done anything to hurt anyone in his life but for some reason Cheiny had decided to pick on him mercilessly.

"Can I help you?" Nathan asked mildly.

Cheiny pretended to be surprised. "Sorry, didn't see you there Sergeant. It was dark and you blended right in."

Mara felt Christine tense next to her. She herself bristled at Cheiny's blatant racism. Mara wasn't so naive to believe that there wasn't any discrimination in the army but it was mostly done on the sly, a dirty secret. Mara was proud of the diversity of her team and wouldn't trade a single one of them.

Nathan didn't react at all, just stared Cheiny down. The other man started to shift uncomfortably. Mara didn't know how Cheiny had become a sergeant, left in charge of other people. There was no depth or substance to him. He was a pig of a man who treated his own team poorly and everyone else worse. Sadly Mara could see his attitudes rubbing off on his team. They were becoming more abrasive and rude and most of them had seemed tolerable during the first few weeks of general training.

Cheiny was an idiot who didn't know how to proceed now that he hadn't gotten the desired reaction.

"Is this the interval?" Yussuf said in a stage whisper, clearly mocking the Sergeant inability to think of something more to say. Cheiny intimidated Mara, she didn't like the evil glint in his eyes, but clearly Yussuf was immune to his cutting remarks.

Cheiny flushed and opened his mouth to say more but Nathan pushed himself to his feet. "No, it's the end."

The sergeant wasn't much taller than Cheiny and his frame was lean and wiry but he still managed to intimidate the other man.

"You're right. I got better things to be doing than talking to you losers."

"Like your mum?" Yussuf asked.

Even Elias sniggered at that one. Cheiny took one threatening step back towards them and Yussuf got to his feet, his smile gone. Nathan inserted himself between them.

"Go away, Cheiny," Nathan said, his voice dripping with disdain and purposefully leaving his rank off. "You're lowering the level of intelligence by being here."

Cheiny glowered with rage. He might be able to hurt Yussuf with little repercussions but he couldn't attack another Sergeant and not expect to get in serious trouble. Especially when all the witnesses had clear allegiances.

...

"He up to talking?" Nathan asked Hershel quietly.

Hershel was keeping an eye on Merle and looked up in surprise as the Sergeant entered the room. Hershel had been worried that the punishing hit Merle had endured had resulted in a concussion.

"He's sleeping," Hershel pointed out.

"No he isn't."

A smirked stretched across Merle's face but he didn't open his eyes. "Why don't ya c'mon in? Ain't got nothin' better t'be doin'. Unless that pup Mara is still around."

Nathan kept his face carefully blank. It would take more than Merle Dixon to spark a reaction from him.

Merle's eyes were open now, mere slits in his face. "Or ya could send me the Asian one. Wouldn't mind a bit'a her attention." Merle laughed but it turned into a wheeze. He winced at the pain and Nathan got a better look at the bruise extending from his jaw to cheek bone.

"I could send Christine but I promise you, you wouldn't like her bedside manner," Nathan said easily.

Hershel fitted his crutches under his armpits and moved to leave the room. He didn't look very concerned about Merle's pain. Nathan remembered what he'd done to Glenn and Maggie. That didn't earn him easy forgiveness.

"Don't kill him," was all Hershel said, casually throwing it over his shoulder as he left the room.

Nathan fit himself into the chair and regarded Merle steadily. He'd known people like Merle his whole life. Bullies with not much intelligence, convinced they were superior because they endured some suffering when they were young and had been born white by some accident of fate.

Merle's narrow eyes were on him too, trying to get a read on him. Merle and Daryl had that in common. Keen skills in observation. But while Daryl's ability seemed to be limited to the physical world, Merle was awfully good at getting a man's measure. But then so was Nathan. He knew Merle wouldn't try and pull the race card with him. Nathan had heard it all before and he had long stopped reacting to other people's ignorance.

"Ya hide it well but I see the condescension in your face," Merle stated. For once he wasn't sneering every second word. Elias had hit him harder than Nathan had first thought.

"You just beat up your own brother," Nathan pointed out mildly.

"He started it an', case ya haven't noticed, I've been punished for my sins!" Merle gestured to his face.

"You really shouldn't insult people Elias cares about in front of him."

"Yeah, I'll be keepin' my eye on tha' hulk from here on out. Fucker's lucky I didn't have my knife."

Nathan knew he was referring to his makeshift prosthetic. Rick had suggested that him wearing it around the prison would make people nervous. Suggested in a way that gave no doubt that it was actually an order.

There was a stretch of silence while Nathan considered and Merle brooded.

"So what'd I do t'warrant such a visit?"

Nathan had stayed calm up until this point but he allowed a bit of steel to creep into his voice now. "I want you to pull your head in."

Merle laughed uproariously, finding Nathan's words the funniest thing in the world. "Now why would I wanna do that? Just when everyone's gotten t'be a lil more entertainin' ta ole Merle."

"You're making yourself a liability. You're putting everyone on edge."

Merle's expression change quickly. "I think it's the least they can endure, after what they forced me to conquer." His stump was waved in the air for emphasis.

Nathan sighed and leaned forward, his hands on his knees. "You misunderstand. For some reason, you think I'm paying you the courtesy of requesting it. You are an asshole of a man, who somehow worked up to the notion you're entitled to some kind of vengeance. But not from me and mine. You step out like that again and I kill you, plain and simple."

Merle chuckled darkly. "Well looky here. Finally see some backbone in this group."

Nathan knew that despite his frivolous words, Merle believed he would kill him. A distracted group was more likely to get themselves killed.

"Why not just kill me now an' save yourself some trouble?" Merle asked nonchalantly.

"Whatever your faults, you're a fighter and we need you if the Governor is actually going to attack."

"Oh he will," Merle said confidently, "Surely as the baby Jesus wept, day I was born."

Nathan fixed Merle with a hard stare. "For Daryl's sake, you should try."

"You really got my baby brother all converted. Always feared he was the type t'be led 'round like pussy."

Nathan stood. "You know for a man that sees a lot, you really don't understand your brother at all. Daryl's outgrown you and he's worth ten of you." Nathan saw those words landed harder than anything else he'd said so far. With that parting shot, he wandered out of the room.

...

Daryl found Mara running her hands along the fence. Her face told him she was miles away in thoughts. Her fingers caught and tugged here and there, ensuring that the there were no unexpected gives in the wire.

As if she sensed him, Mara turned around to face him just before he got to her. A bright smile crossed her face.

"Hey you," she said softly, watching his face carefully.

"Didn't hear you get up," Daryl said awkwardly. He struggled to look right at her, scanning the tree line just up from the prison. Last night had meant a lot to him but now, in this grey afternoon he felt like it had all just been a very nice dream.

"I thought you could use the sleep. How are you feeling?"

Daryl experimentally moved his body. He tried to hide the grimace as all his aching muscles twinged. It had been stupid to fight Merle and even stupider to plunge off into the wilderness.

Mara reached out to encircle his wrist, pulling him closer and examining the skin on his arms. It was scratched up but the wounds were shallow and had already started to heal.

Mara ran the pads of her fingers gently up his arm. She was still checking him for any lasting injuries but she was making it pleasant.

Daryl grabbed the front of her shirt, moving her body flush to his. Mara tilted her head up in surprise but Daryl was already leaning down to kiss her. He felt Mara smile against his mouth before she gently pulled away. Mara rested a hand on his chest and Daryl was gratified that her breathing was unsteady.

"I'm working," she scolded softly. The sting of her words was removed by the bloom of colour in her cheeks. She wasn't pushing him away because she didn't like it.

Daryl ignored her protests and brushed his lips across her cheekbone.

Mara sighed before catching herself. "Nathan might see."

"So what? He your father?"

"No. He's my boss! My dad's much scarier."

Daryl leaned back to see if she was joking but she looked serious. The sergeant could be plenty intimidating in his own right. Daryl selfishly thought that he was glad there was no chance Mara's family would ever have to meet him. He felt bad for thinking that way but he knew the kind of first impression he gave off and he imagined Mara's parents to be a lot like her. Well adjusted and normal.

Mara looked caught up in her own thoughts and Daryl could just tell she was thinking of her family too. He immediately felt ashamed of himself. He'd gladly suffer through any awkward family gathering if there was a chance Mara could see them again.

Daryl cupped Mara's chin in one hand and tilted her head up for a kiss.

"It's gonna work out fine."

"Liar," Mara breathed. "But I appreciate the sentiment."

"Do Australian dads carry shotguns?" Daryl joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Mara actually giggled. "Not typically. But Nathan has plenty of guns."

Daryl snorted. "Nathan loves me. He wouldn't shoot me."

Mara arched an eyebrow trying to imagine her stoic sergeant expressing anything as forward as love. She knew Nathan had a strong affection for everyone that lived in the prison but if Nathan had overheard what Daryl had just said then he would have rolled his eyes and walked away, muttering something about the bane of his existence.

"Who else would bring us squirrels if you were dead?" Mara asked innocently.

Daryl narrowed his eyes at her, suspecting there was a dose of sarcasm under her words. Daryl loved the mischievous glint her eye right then. He hadn't seen much of it since Merle came back.

"I'm sorry," he said abruptly. "'Bout Merle."

Mara nestled into him, contradicting her rules from earlier. "You and your brother aren't the same person. I don't hold you accountable for the things he did."

Daryl nodded. "He attracts trouble wherever he goes, it seems."

"Attracts or creates?" Mara asked, contrarily.

"Both. And there be more a'that before the end."

"You mean The Governor?"

Daryl tensed at their enemy's name. "I just want it over an' done with."

"Me too. I hate this waiting," Mara said. Daryl crushed Mara to him once more and hoped that those words wouldn't come to bite them in the ass. They knew what to expect because of Merle but the chances of all of them surviving unscathed were pretty slim.

**AN: It's time to return to this fic after. I have missed it since it really is my love child. I did a quick visit to another fandom to get a ficlet off my chest and it's been humbling and made me appreciate the TWD fandom more than ever. So we'll get on with the show shall we? I hope you enjoyed this little offering. There was a smidgen of foreshadowing and Nathan being a boss. I hope you enjoy it, please let me know what you think. **


	23. Chapter 23

Mara was tending to her sword. She was outside in the dusk, enjoying the silence of Georgia. Sunset seemed to last forever here, hanging heavy in the air before eventually sliding into night. It reminded her of home a little bit.

There were more guards than ever on duty. They expected the Governor to show up any day now and they were ready. Mara's stomach had felt tight for the last few days. She was running on an adrenaline rush that her body couldn't sustain. She was already laden with as many weapons as her body could carry and she had taken to wearing her protective military gear every time she went outside.

She almost wanted the Governor to show up, to march down the path and declare his intentions. That way it could just be over. One way or another, they wouldn't be sitting around waiting.

Mara suspected he would try something underhanded and sneaky though. It wouldn't just be a simple fight with some semblance of honour and regulation. There was no room for that in this day and age.

One thing Mara knew for sure was that she wouldn't be taken. She'd rail and fight before she let herself be a prisoner of the Governor again. She would die first.

Her hand tightened subconsciously around her weapon and a stinging pain bought her back to reality.

She hissed as she unwrapped her fingers and saw a cut along the inside of her fingers just above the rest of her palm. "Stupid," she muttered to herself. They'd taught her how to clean her sword properly in training and it had been a long time since she'd cut herself.

"Ain't no need for the Governor to do nothin' if you're gonna be inflictin' all the violence on yourself," a low voice drawled.

Mara looked up as Merle Dixon emerged from the gloom. Those Dixon brothers could certainly move quietly when the need called. She shot him a withering look and turned her attention to her new injury. It was shallow and wouldn't affect her fighting but it was probably best to get it looked after as soon as possible. Infection could still kill her, even if she had just cleaned her blade within an inch of perfection.

She expected Merle to keep moving on but he lingered. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

"Bad habits run in the family I see," Mara noted without thinking. She cursed internally. She didn't want to engage Merle in conversation.

Merle shrugged. He put one in his mouth, taking it directly out of the packet with his teeth, and then offered the pack to Mara. "You want one?" he asked, speaking easily around the cigarette in his mouth.

Mara grimaced. "No thanks."

"That's right," Merle said, flashing a grin and tucking the pack back into his pocket. "You're a hoity toity educated bitch. Probably that you knew better 'an to start."

Mara stared at Merle. He had insulted her but not with any malice. Maybe he just didn't know how to address people without calling them names.

"I hear it kills," Mara said dryly. It struck her that they were having what passed for a civilised conversation in Merle's book. She wondered why the change of heart. She knew Daryl hadn't spoken to him. As much as she cared for him, her lover still avoided Merle like the boogie man.

Merle chuckled and finally lit his smoke. He managed it artfully with one hand. "Worse things out there t'kill ya now, darlin'." He took a deep drag and pleasure spread across his face as the smoke hit his lungs.

Merle took the cigarette out of his mouth, holding it loosely between his fingers. He regarded her steadily. "So you've taken up with my baby bro."

"Is this the part where you threaten me to treat him well?" Mara asking, struggling to keep her tone mild. Merle put her on edge and it took every fibre of her being not to let her words be acerbic.

Merle's raised an eyebrow, his stare hardening. "Didn't think I needed to." He sighed then. "You do good by my brother and we'll be fine."

That was untrue. He was being on his best behaviour for some reason but at some point his possessiveness of Daryl would turn to jealousy and there would be drama again. Still Merle didn't tell her like he was lying, more like he believed it. And Mara appreciated that effort.

"I love him," Mara said quietly, hoping that would mean something to Merle.

"Well shit, someone had'ta!" Merle said roughly. "Not much could be said of our mama or our father."

They lapsed into silence. The whole conversation had been surreal. Mara would almost have called it bonding. Her hand was dripping blood and she had to take care of it before her turn on guard duty.

She opened her mouth to excuse herself when Merle held up his hand. His eyes had narrowed and he was concentrating. He dropped the cigarette to the ground and put it out with the heel of his boot.

"You hear that?" Merle asked.

Mara shook her head, getting to her feet.

"That's a car. Headin' our way."

Mara met Merle's eyes. "Nobody is on a run."

A beat passed between them and then they were moving. Mara picked up her sword, barely feeling the cut in her hand now. She slid it into her sheath and took her gun out of her holster.

They jogged down to gate where Christine was standing looking down the road. Her shoulders were tense. She could hear it too.

She looked over her shoulder as Merle and Mara joined her, signalling to Yussuf and Glenn in the guard tower.

Maggie joined them too. "What's happening?"

"Get Rick and Nathan," Mara said without preamble.

Christine picked up her helmet from the ground. She cut a look at Mara. "Where's yours?"

"Inside. I wasn't on guard duty." Mara switched the safety off her gun and wished she had thought to carry her helmet with her.

Merle was tightening the straps on his prosthetic knife. "If you ladies could finish ya' conversation, we're gonna have company soon."

Christine glared down the road, for once not jumping all over Merle. "Well I'm fresh outta hospitality," she said coldly, before sliding the helmet on.

Merle smirked appreciatively. He looked under prepared standing there with just his knife.

"Here," Mara said, offering him the extra hand gun she had tucked into her waist band.

Merle raised his eyebrows but took it without making a comment.

Casting a quick look over her shoulder, Mara could see that Yussuf and Glenn had taken defensive positions in the guard tower. The sound was clearer now and the grinding of wheels on dirt was echoing.

"They can only come one at a time," Mara said. "There's only that bit of road that connects the prison."

A white bus rounded the corner, swaying dramatically. It was going too fast for its size.

Mara's finger hovered over the trigger. Was there a chance this wasn't the Governor?

"Fuck that," she heard Christine shout and her friend started firing. The bus swerved dramatically as the first bullet pinged into the windscreen but it didn't stop coming. If anything the speed increased.

Mara started shooting as well but she fired low, aiming at the wheels. Her first two shots missed their target because the bus was moving too erratically. The third bullet hit and the wheel exploded. The bus lurched and rolled. It fell on its side but the momentum it already had propelled it forward still.

"Shit!" Merle cursed at the same time Mara realised it was going to come barrelling through the gate anyway. The three of them scrambled to get out of the way.

Christine was the last to jump, managing to fire off a few more rounds into the glass of the windscreen. She just narrowly missed getting hit.

Mara thought she saw the distinctive red of blood and was certain Christine had managed to shoot the driver.

"You're crazy," Merle noted at Christine, making it sound like a compliment.

Mara wanted to scold him for encouraging her but more vehicles were circling the prison. The people driving them got out but stood behind the open doors, using them as shields.

More gunfire echoed but it wasn't coming from their side now. Mara ran for the overturned bus with Merle and Christine hot on her heels.

They ducked low on the ground. Mara looked back into the prison. Yussuf and Glenn had the advantage of higher ground but sometime the rest of the prisons occupants had emptied into the yard. Her heart twisted when she saw Daryl and Andrea trying to take cover. She didn't let the worry overwhelm her. That was the most certain way to die at the moment.

The invading bus had ground to a halt. There was smoke curling from the front. The gun shots seemed to quiet. And Mara took a chance to evaluate the situation. They had broken down the gates with the bus but if they actually wanted to attack they would be forced to leave the safety of their cover or move their vehicles down the road one by one. Each plan gave Mara and her friends the opportunity to pick them off.

Mara was staring at the bus so hard her eyes were playing tricks on her. She could almost swear that it was moving.

"Shit," Mara spat, realising what was happening. She got her feet underneath her

"Spooks," Christine hissed. Both women pulled out their swords.

There was a clatter of metal as Rick shut the fence. He was stopping the dead from over running the prison but at the same time he was sealing them in the yard with them. Mara could almost see the pained expression on his face from here.

The guns exploded again and Rick took cover.

"They ain't seen us yet," Merle said. The dead were climbing over each other to get out of the bus. They were as disorientated as Mara had ever seen them after the crash. But they could smell fresh blood.

Mara flexed her injured hand once before curling it back around the hilt of her blade.

They were scratching at the bus windows, tearing apart the shattered window with their bare hands. Mara heard a thin shriek and realised that Christine hadn't killed the driver.

Mara fought to keep a blank face as she listened to the man die. He had wished her and hers ill. But still, to listen to him get eaten alive was awful.

There was a crack of a gun behind them. Mara didn't hear the impact and realised it must have been fired into the air. It wasn't an attacking shot, it was a beacon. It would distract the walkers away from their dinner and force them to take stock of their surroundings, to see there were other meals available.

"C'mon," Merle hissed. He grabbed the back of Mara's jacket and tugged her backwards. Mara opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off with a hiss, "shut up!"

He pulled them low and then he unceremoniously pushed her into the open roof hatch of the over turned bus. It was difficult trying to manoeuvre around the seats on their side but Mara managed to stand.

She had never really noticed how dirty the windows were. It made it hard for anyone to see in. Merle followed closely behind her and then eventually Christine.

Mara felt better with some shelter though she knew it was an illusion. The walkers may not have seen them climb in there but they would eventually figure it out. The others couldn't shoot them if they were being forced to take cover by their assailants. No, the spooks would find them. Her eyes locked on the hole in the roof which had allowed their entrance.

One of the seats had come loose in the crash. Mara rushed to it.

"Help me," she whispered. Christine was by her side in an instant. Between the pair of them they wrangled the seat towards the hole in the roof. They fitted it neatly against the roof and Merle leaned against the middle using his weight to hold in place.

Mara exchanged a look with her companions. "Now we wait for the cavalry?"

...

Daryl could see just enough from his sheltered position. With the guns they had been prevented from making too much headway. Panic and fury wared in Daryl as he crouched next to Andrea. He had seen those walkers crawl out of the bus with horror and he had watched Mara's whole body language change as the threat moved from outside to inside. The woman he loved was standing shoulder to shoulder with his brother and there was nothing he could do from here.

Daryl watched as Merle shoved Mara into the bus. He and Christine followed. It was smart and it would buy them some time.

He locked eyes with Nathan and Elias, managing to convey his anxiety at the situation. Elias nodded to show he understood but Nathan's face didn't change. The sergeant leaned over to whisper something in Elias' ear. The big man nodded once more and the two men stood up and started shooting.

The rounds lacked precision but it was enough that the men at the vehicles had to duck. The two Australians took the opportunity to dart back inside the prison. With one slam of a door they were gone. Daryl didn't know what Nathan was thinking but he felt certain the man would have a plan. Maybe they were going to fortify their cell where Carl, Judith, Beth, Carol and Hershel were hiding.

Daryl turned his attention to the prison yard again. Some walkers were still eating the driver but the others were lurching about, certain that there was fresh meal close at hand but unable to see it yet.

Daryl thought he saw movement, low in the longer grass. He had to blink and look closer but he could just barely make out a shape. The fading light wasn't helping. Though if the sun would just hurry up and set, the men with guns wouldn't be able to shoot at them quite as accurately.

Daryl's eyes widened as he finally realised the shape was Michonne. He had wondered what had happened to her. If anyone could help Mara and Merle, it was her.

Most of the walkers by passed the bus, though they paused to sniff at it. The scent of Michonne was much closer, fresh on the evening wind.

Michonne got to her feet and began laying into the walkers.

The guns started again but Michonne was a blur of movement. She didn't stay still long enough for any of the men to actually hit her. She weaved through the walkers bodies, cutting them down gracefully.

The walkers by the bus had grown violent and Daryl's gut clenched when he realised they knew there were people inside. What was worse, there were now walkers ambling in over the busted gate.

The commotion had attracted all the walkers out of the woods.

Daryl heard shouts and the sound of shots being fired. It was immediately apparent what Elias and Nathan had done. They had doubled around to attack the men from behind. A wolfish grin crossed Daryl's face. He had his hand on his knife and he really wanted to kill some things. He trusted Elias and Nathan to be able to handle themselves with the men. He had some walkers to deal with.

**AN: This was supposed to be one long chapter but my muse is being a bit difficult so I'm going to save the bulk of the action for next chapter when I have a clear vision of it. I'm obviously using elements of the season three attack scene with some differences. Hope you all found this tolerable. **

**MD666 (Twitter: EJWadePR)**


	24. Chapter 24

Mara wasn't born to be a warrior. Her whole life she had been heading towards something different. It wasn't her destiny to be standing in the field of a Georgia prison fighting for her life. At least, so she had thought.

At some point it had started to rain. The Georgia sky opened up and the night was alive with that sharp sweet smell of light rain and the scent of decay. The ground turned to mud under so many trampling feet.

Her clothes stuck to her body and she could feel the dirt clinging to her calves. She didn't mind the dirt. It was better than the other things that stuck to her body now. Her hair was plastered to her face, held in place by water, sweat and blood.

The only saving grace was that most of the blood didn't belong to her. There was such a cacophony of sounds that it had almost blurred into the background. The only thing that Mara could really hear was the sound of her own laboured breath echoing in her ear. Her muscles were starting to burn. She hadn't fought this long or hard ever.

Mara ignored her aching, protesting body and spun her sword to kill again and again. She was dimly aware of Christine on her right and Merle on her left. Christine fought almost silently. Her streamline movements were punctuated only by a few grunts, which were muffled by her helmet anyway.

Merle was the opposite. He goaded his enemies even though they couldn't comprehend. He whooped and laughed like a mad man. Merle was like a berserker, cut off from anything but the battle. Mara was surprised he hadn't struck down anyone living yet.

There were so many walking corpses. She had truly underestimated how many would come spilling out of the bus like vermin. They ebbed and flowed around her like a tide. Any quarter they gave was short lived and like a wave, they crashed back around her.

In one of those brief instances of respite she caught a glimpse of Michonne. She smiled like some grim goddess of death before vanishing from Mara's sight.

She didn't know who else was out on the field. Her world had narrowed to herself and the two people who fought shoulder to shoulder with her.

Now that the gun shots had stopped they were free to focus completely on the spooks. She didn't know why it had stopped but she was grateful. Not having their attentions divided helped but the situation hadn't improved that much.

It was too dark to see clearly. She could barely think beyond taking down her next assailant, let alone plan some kind of organised strike.

The bodies were piling up at her feet. Detached limbs twitched in the last throes of death.

A surge of the dead separated Mara from Christine. She shouted her name but Christine didn't look over her shoulder. She couldn't risk it. And Mara was stupid for shouting something that could have distracted her.

Merle's heavy hand on her shoulder forced her to duck. Swinging over her body, where her head had just been, he impaled an open mouthed walker with his prosthetic knife. Her hand gun that she had lent him was tucked into the waist band of his pants.

Mara curved around Merle's body, standing upright to plant a booted foot, hard in the stomach of an impending walker.

"Stay close, Darlin'," Merle instructed gruffly. He grunted as he pulled the knife from the walker's skull.

Mara couldn't muster any energy to be indignant. She was responsible for just as many bodies on the ground as he was but Merle was just hardwired to think females were the weaker sex.

The spook she had kicked came reeling back, mouth open and snarling. Mara could see its rotten teeth before Mara used her sword to cut the top of its head off. It unexpectedly slumped forward and Mara was forced to quickly side step to avoid having its weight crash into her.

Her foot landed on the arm of a felled creature. The lack of solid flesh in the body meant that her foot twisted awkwardly. Mara fell to her knees, just managing to avoid falling on her face. Shooting pain in her leg told her that if her ankle wasn't broken, it was severely sprained.

Mara struggled to stand. Another walker crashed into her, its jaws locking around her forearm, trying to taste her flesh but not understanding that her jacket kept it away. Her sword had slipped from her fingers as she was driven to the ground again. She was vaguely aware that someone was shouting her name. Her eyes locked on Merle. He had seen her fall and was fighting his way toward her but more and more obstacles lunged between them.

Mara fumbled for the smaller knife on her belt. The fervour with which the walker worked on her arm vibrated all her joints. She was worried that her arm might even be jerked from its socket.

With a gasp, she forced herself into a sitting position. She drove the knife into the spooks head and shoved hard. The creature died and crumbled to the side. Her legs were caught under the creature and she tried to pull them out from underneath.

The pain that came from moving her ankle made her scream. Two hands grabbed her shoulder pushing her down. Mara struggled but more decaying bodies swamped her. They pawed at her, trying to access the blood and meat kept shielded by her jacket. It was only a matter of time before sheer numbers succeeded, or they went for her face.

Mara looked up into the dead eyes of one walker. She got the sense that she was looking at her end. A terror she had never felt before flooded through her body and she screamed at the same time she heard someone shouting her name. She knew somehow it was Daryl and she had time to wish she could see his face once more before she squeezed her eyes shut and prayed.

...

With Nathan and Elias taking care of the men, Daryl surged into the field of groaning corpses. Andrea was right behind her, a fierce gleam in her eyes.

Rick and Maggie followed them. Rick paused and closed the gate behind them so that, whatever happened, they could contain the situation. The last thing they wanted was the prison to be over run. There were still people inside, family that could survive if they fell.

For a while there had been steady shots from the guard tower but they had stopped. It was possible that Yussuf and Glenn didn't want to risk hitting any of their people in the dark. It was also possible that their ammunition had run out.

Daryl didn't have time to think about it as he saw walkers crawl into the bus. His heart thudded painfully in his chest as he watched. There was the splintering of glass and then he saw a flash of brown hair as Mara pulled herself out of the broken window. Christine followed but he couldn't keep watching.

Andrea shouting his name redirected his attention. There were walkers coming at them now. He pulled his knife out of its sheath and lunged at the first walker rather than waiting for them to reach him. He was consumed by a rage and hatred.

"We need to block the front gate," Rick shouted. He was right. With the gates knocked down and all the noise, they would just have to keep fighting every walker that came out of the woods.

Daryl nodded to show that he understood. He wanted to make his way towards Mara but if they didn't stop the flow of walkers they would be no help to each other.

Two walkers ambled towards him and Daryl switched his knife from palm to palm, his whole body alive with blood lust. There was a whistling sound past his ear and one of the walker's skull exploded as a powerful arrow soared through the air.

Daryl spared a glance over his shoulder and saw that Yussuf had come out of the guard tower with his bow.

In a few seconds he was level with Daryl. Yussuf flashed a smile at the other man that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I gotta get me one of those," Daryl commented.

Yussuf shrugged. "I couldn't let you have all the fun."

Yussuf started picking off walkers with his bow and Daryl saw Glenn join Maggie. Andrea was close by, killing walkers with startling precision.

There was the turn over of engines and Daryl watched as most of the men got in their cars and left. There was still one car that had been left and Daryl could see it was moving towards the prison.

He drew his gun and levelled it at the car but at the last minute turned it skyward. He recognised the two figures driving. Nathan and Elias.

They brought the car to a screeching halt outside the prison, effectively blocking the entrance from more walkers. They got out of the car. Nathan looked unhurt but Elias had a nasty gash on his forehead that Daryl could see from a distance. The big man had to use the car to steady himself. Nathan was already fighting the walkers that were milling around the outside, trying to get in.

The walkers enveloped them suddenly, forcing Daryl to throw himself into the fight again. Rick, Glenn and Maggie had already made headway toward the broken gate. Yussuf started to follow them, using his bow to clear a bit of a path for them. The three skirted the outside and managed to miss the worst of it.

Rick and Glenn hastened to grab the crumbled gate that had been flung off its hinges by the bus. It wasn't perfect but it would have to serve. Elias and Nathan scrambled over the car. Elias slumped to the ground, unable to keep his feet under him any longer. Maggie stood over him, protecting him from any walkers. The other three men, started to lift the gate, using wire and rope that was nearby to bind it to the car and keep in upright.

Most of the walkers had followed Mara, Merle, Christine and Michonne. The sheer numbers had pushed them away from the gate and further around the prison.

Andrea was struggling with two walkers that managed to pin her arms to her side. Daryl intervened, grabbing one of the walkers by the back of their decaying dress. It was a petite girl and that made it easier for Daryl to fling it away from Andrea and to the ground. He felt no remorse or guilt as he kicked what had once been a teenage girl in the gut. He knew it wouldn't feel pain but it stopped it from getting to its feet.

He drove the knife down hard, right between her eyes.

Andrea neatly disposed of the other walker that had been trying to maul her. Her hair had slipped free of its pony tail was floating around her face. She was dishevelled but unhurt and she looked as mad as Daryl felt.

He couldn't imagine what it must be like to know that a person that you cared about was more than likely responsible for this attack. He would feel more sympathy if the woman he loved wasn't fighting for her life.

Daryl's head jerked up as he heard Merle shout Mara's name. Daryl looked in their direction but he couldn't see clearly through the swirl of bodies.

Then he heard Mara scream and immediately started running in her direction. Her scream had been laced with pain. He caught glimpses of her sprawled on the ground, one hand clutching her ankle.

Then the sight of her was blocked by walkers throwing themselves on her body like rabid animals.

Her name was torn from his lips as he ran towards her. Panic surged through his body because he couldn't see her anymore. All he could hear was her screaming.

Daryl wasn't going to get there in time. Mara was going to die.

**AN: A short chapter, I know. Action always takes it out of me and I decided that was a nice little cliff hanger to leave you all with.**


	25. Chapter 25

_There was a crash outside. It was followed by shouting and cursing. Daryl sat up in bed, heart pounding. He knew that sound, knew what it meant. _

_Merle was already awake. He was leaning against the door with his ear pressed to the cheap wood._

"_Dad?" Daryl whispered in the dark._

"_Dad," Merle confirmed darkly. _

_Daryl threw back the covers, shivering in his threadbare pyjamas. His bare feet hit the ground and joined Merle. _

_The sound of a key in a lock was the most terrifying thing to Daryl. There was more commotion and it was clear his father had fallen over, unable to keep his footing with that much alcohol in his system._

"_Thought I told you boys ta' clean up after yourselves!" he shouted in the darkness even though neither boy had any belongings to leave anywhere._

_Merle reeled back from the door, contempt plain on his teenage face. Their dad had always been a drunk but since their mother had died it had gotten worse. Daryl's ribs still ached from the last beating he'd endured. It used to be that he was only violent when he had been drinking but now he was volatile all the time._

_The creaking floorboards let the boys know he was making his way down the hallway. He was moving slowly, too inebriated to stand up straight by the sounds of things. _

_Merle backed away, shaking his head. "Fuck this!" he snarled. He grabbed a jacket and started fiddling with the latch on the window while Daryl watched wide eyed._

"_Don't, you'll make him mad," Daryl said softly._

"_He's already mad," Merle pointed out. He thrust the window open. "I'm gettin' outta here." He held his hand out to Daryl. "C'mon, move!"_

_Merle's voice was urgent but Daryl felt rooted to the spot. He could hear his father pawing at the door knob. _

"_Daryl," Merle pleaded, showing a moment of vulnerability. Those were few and far between these days. _

_The door opened a crack, light spilling into the room. It was all the incentive Daryl need. He ran around the beds and made for the window. Merle's saw his brother was coming and dropped out, so there would be someone to catch him when he jumped out._

_His father was in the room now, all drunken rage and vicious spite. Daryl's small hands grabbed the edges of the window, pulling himself up. He could hear Merle shouting out, encouraging him to jump. _

_He was so close to escaping, he could feel the fresh air on his face but then a hand wrapped around his ankle. His father jerked him back inside. Daryl was flung half way across the room. His father may have meant to do it or he may have just lost that much control of himself. Either option scared Daryl as his heart raced in his chest like a caged animal._

"_Can't even escape right," his father sneered. The smell of booze was toxic on his breath as he loomed over Daryl._

_Daryl cowered away, making himself as small as possible._

"_You're so weak an' pathetic," his father continued. _

_Daryl tried to block the words out but they hurt as much as physical blows._

_His father was fumbling with his belt and Daryl's blood ran cold. His father taking off his belt could only mean one thing. The last time he'd lashed Daryl with it, he'd left a long cut down his back. It would have needed stitches if anyone had been able to take Daryl to the hospital. Merle had bound the wound and ranted._

_Merle would save him. Daryl kept looking at the window, waiting for his brother to reappear but nobody did._

"_Why'd you wanna leave your family, boy? Ain't nobody gonna love you or have any use for you! You could die an' only your mama would weep. Shame she already went on ahead."_

_Daryl's eyes filled with tears at the verbal onslaught but it was nothing compared to the moment the belt came cracking down on him for the first time that night._

...

Daryl had carried those words with him well into adulthood, longer than he should have. That pig of a man had left scars on more than just his skin.

It took the world going to shit to realise just how untrue it all was. That man had never been his family or his father. He had found his real family in this hell. He'd found people to love him and for him to love. He'd found one woman who knew every inch of him and yet hadn't turned away.

He wasn't ready to lose that. Daryl didn't know if he stood a chance of actually reaching Mara but he would try. It was all he could do because he couldn't just stand there and watch her get torn apart.

He knew what it was like to be afraid and to think nobody was coming to help you. In his case, he had been right but it didn't have to be true for Mara.

His heart in his mouth he moved through the walkers, slaying them where they stood. Daryl had never seen a distance loom so large before and he was beginning to despair. Andrea was moving with him, clearing her own gory path.

There was a flash of movement to his right and he lifted his knife. He stopped dead as it almost came crashing down on a figure dressed all in black. The person pulled up short, in a very human manner. Daryl first thought it was Christine but the figure was too tall and masculine.

Daryl looked around. He had been so focused on the pack that surrounded Mara that he had lost track of the big picture. Six figures in black had joined the fight and for the life of him, Daryl couldn't have guessed where they came from or how they got in.

One of the figures was close to Mara, closer than he was, and they started flinging the walkers away from her, while two companions brought up the rear killing the discarded creatures.

They were dressed the same way his Australians were. Except their uniforms were cleaner and still in good condition.

Daryl caught his first glimpse of Mara and exhaled a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding. Her face was flushed and her hair was a mess but her skin wasn't unblemished.

The figure reached down a hand to Mara and Mara only hesitated before taking it and letting the person draw her to her feet. Daryl was so close to Mara now, he could see the sweat on her skin and the fear in her eyes.

She locked eyes with him over the figures shoulder and opened her mouth to say something, presumably to call out to him. But before she could the figure pulled of their helmet, revealing a tall male with blond hair.

Mara briefly flicked her eyes towards the man and then did a double take.

"Eric?" Mara whispered, shocked.

Before Daryl could take another step forward, Eric wrapped his arms around Mara's waist. He crushed Mara to him, lifting her off her feet and bringing his mouth down on hers.

Mara gave a squeak of surprise.

"Fuck me," a mocking voice drawled behind Daryl. He recognised the voice as Merle's but he didn't turn around. He lunged at the man, tearing him away from Mara. Eric turned, disorientated and Daryl didn't give him a chance to catch his bearings before punching him hard in the jaw.

...

Mara didn't couldn't believe what she was seeing. Eric was not supposed to be in Georgia. He was supposed to be in Australia and he definitely not in the army.

It wasn't until his lips collided with hers and she felt that spark of familiarity that it became real. Almost as soon as his mouth pressed to hers, the contact was gone.

Daryl had pulled Eric away with a violent snarl and then his fist collided with Eric's face. Mara froze; her brain unable to readjust to the situation. A minute ago she had been certain that she was about to die and now she was staring at her ex.

Eric took the punch better than expected. He didn't crumble in on himself like he would have back when they were dating. His face was thinner and harder than she remembered and his fingers had calluses that weren't there a year ago.

Mara saw Eric's shoulders twitch and knew that he was about to retaliate. Mara threw herself between the men, her back to Daryl's chest, raising her hands in a pacifying gesture.

Eric took an immediate step back, just like she knew he would. His aggressive expression faded. Eric wasn't an angry person, had never been. Daryl on the other hand? Mara could feel him practically vibrating with anger behind her.

She spared a look around and no one was paying much attention except for Merle, who looked ready to jump in as soon as he was needed.

Christine rolled her eyes at Mara briefly, clearly giving her opinion on how stupid she thought this display of testosterone was, before fanning out and securing the area.

"What the hell, man?" Eric mumbled, rubbing his jaw.

"Could ask the same thing?" Daryl sniped back. Mara leant back further into Daryl, discreetly trying to tell him to ease up.

"What are you doing here?" Mara asked, cutting into the conversation. Eric had never had any interest in the military, he'd been on his way to becoming a doctor when she had left him.

Eric flashed her a smile and it was full of the boyish charm that she remembered. "I'm a medic with the army now."

"You were years off becoming a full doctor," Mara pointed out.

Eric sobered. "Circumstances changed, training got accelerated."

"It's nice to see you," Mara said because she couldn't think of anything else to say. This conversation was too bizarre for words. She had a job to do; her personal life would have to wait.

She turned and walked away, putting both palms on Daryl's chest and pushing him away. She caught sight of her sword and picked it up.

Merle saluted her with his knife and a smirk as they passed before Christine snapped, "Merle, pull your head out of your ass and come and help me with this." He grudgingly joined the petite woman, checking for spooks that might have survived.

Daryl hadn't taken his eyes off Eric. Mara looked at the ground, making sure it was clear of spooks still alive. It would have made a fool out of them both if they survived that fight to die now. Daryl could be observant but he tended to let his emotions blind him.

When they were far enough away, Mara stopped. She lightly thumped Daryl's chest to get his attention. Daryl looked down as if he only just noticed she was there.

His eyes softened and he ran a shaky hand over her cheek. "You ok?"

Mara nodded. She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her cheek against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. She was aware that she was trembling against him. The shock of seeing Eric had delayed the effect of almost dying. Seeing Daryl's face drove home how close she had come to losing him.

When she pulled back she noticed a small scratch above his eyebrow.

"How did that happen?" Mara asked, reaching up to gently brush his hair away from it.

Daryl batted her hand away lightly. "I'm fine," Daryl murmured, looking uncomfortable.

Mara smiled and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "I love you," she said quickly before ducking away.

She drew level with Yussuf who was kicking bodies over without much grace. He didn't have to worry about bites to his legs. One was alive and reached for the man even though both its arms ended at the elbow.

Yussuf had a knife in his hands and quickly killed it.

Mara could see Nathan talking to men but couldn't see their faces. Nathan was trying to hide it but he didn't look impressed with the situation

"Who is that?" Mara asked, toeing bodies over as well.

"Cheiny," Yussuf answered. He sounded murderous, which was unlike Yussuf.

Mara's eyes widened. She resisted voicing the string of expletives that wanted to tumble out of her mouth.

"Seems like the Australian army felt the situation needed some ignorant racists to get involved," Yussuf added, darkly.

Mara took a better look at the men and even in the dark she could now make out some familiar features. She recognised Cheiny's team but that didn't fully explain how Eric had ended up with them.

"Anyone hurt?" Mara asked, choosing to let the issue go for now.

"For the most part everyone's alright. Elias got hurt pretty bad. Hershel and Carol are helping him now."

Mara's heart stopped for a second but she realised Yussuf wouldn't be so calm if Elias wasn't going to be ok.

Yussuf gently touched her elbow. "What about you?"

"I'm alive," Mara answered because that was what mattered most of all. She looked around at all the corpses and the make shift gate. This had gone beyond ridiculous. The Governor's existence couldn't be tolerated anymore.

Yussuf tracked her gaze. "Things have to change, don't they?"

"They really do!"

**AN: I don't have a lot of things to add. I'm not sure I feel about this chapter/reveal. Let me know what you all think. **


	26. Chapter 26

"You held in there as long as you could, baby bro," Merle was saying.

Daryl stared at his older brother darkly. The soldiers were conferring and he hadn't been invited. Even Rick wasn't involved in their super secret conversation, though he was caught up in hugging Carl and Judith, relieved to have survived.

Dawn was beginning to crest over the horizon, reminding everyone that is had been a long and sleepless night.

Andrea, Glenn and Michonne were being useful and fixing the gate. It would hold out walkers and give them a chance to get some sleep before tracking down the Governor. Enough was enough. The bastard had to die.

Daryl was standing off to the side with only Merle for company though at this point he'd rather be alone then listening to any more of Merle's 'insightful' commentary.

"You just can't trust women folk like that. They'll break your heart an' leave you cryin' in their wake."

Merle's words might have been sympathetic if he didn't sound so god damned pleased with himself.

Daryl tried not to roll his eyes at Merle's words. His obvious delight that things might have ended badly was grating and premature. Mara still hadn't looked at Eric with anything more than stunned bewilderment. He wasn't exactly worried about Mara. It was the way Eric tracked her movements that let Daryl know he wasn't the only one that loved her and that was what made him uncomfortable.

Nathan was looking at the other sergeant with thinly concealed distaste for the man. The man seemed brash and arrogant. He had been dismissive of the group at the prison and that had already rubbed Daryl the wrong way.

The two teams fanned out behind their respective sergeants, looking a bit like two rival gangs that wore very similar clothes. They all seemed to know each other and Daryl assumed that they had gone through training together. There was clearly no love lost there.

Mara caught his eye and her pained expression would have made him smile in any other circumstance. He managed to tune out Merle's annoying contributions and focus on his relief that she wasn't hurt, though some part of him felt guilty that he hadn't been the one to save her. She had needed him and he had failed, though she would tell him he was stupid for thinking that way.

A presence joined them and Daryl turned his head to acknowledge Elias. The man had been lying down when the Australians had begun their conversation and Daryl still wasn't sure he should be on his feet.

"How you doin'?" Daryl asked, cutting Merle off mid-insult.

"Fine," Elias answered though he wasn't. His colour was awful and Daryl had managed to get a good look at the cut before Hershel had carefully stitched him up. If Elias didn't have a concussion than Daryl was a unicorn.

"What's your opinion of them new comers?" Merle asked, jerking his finger in the soldier direction. Daryl wasn't surprised that Merle wanted an inside assessment. He had been yammering on but he'd also been watching them just as closely as Daryl had been.

Elias frowned as he thought it through. "Cheiny's a dick-"

Merle snorted at Elias' blunt description but didn't interrupt.

"-but the others might be different. They could just be badly behaved because of Cheiny's influence."

Daryl crossed his arms. "Monkey see, monkey do?"

Elias nodded. "But these monkeys have guns."

"I reckon we could handle them," Merle stated.

Daryl had to fight not to sigh. Merle would have claimed he could handle an entire army division all on his lonesome.

"You think it was the Governor's men?" Daryl asked, changing the subject to the attack.

"Without a doubt. I recognised some of the men from Woodbury."

"He's gotten ballsy," Daryl muttered.

"You got that backwards, brother," Merle disagreed, "He's always been ballsy but now he's got the numbers to do the damage. This here was just foreplay."

...

Eric hadn't deluded himself into thinking that his appearance would be a magic bandaid for him and Mara. He had hoped it would give her an opportunity to see him in a different light, to see that their ideals were more aligned now than before. He hadn't planned on kissing her but seeing her that close to death, being the one to pull those creatures off her, he hadn't been able to stop himself.

The kiss had lasted only a few seconds before he'd been torn away by a rough scruffy man at least a decade older than him. That had been followed by a punch that had almost sent him to his knees. He'd had every intention of retaliating until Mara had intervened. She had inserted herself between him and the new guy.

Eric had taken a step back, quickly figuring out that this man was one of her allies. At least he had thought ally until they had walked away from him. Mara had wrapped herself around that man like he was the only person in the world that mattered. When she had kissed his cheek, Eric's chest felt tight.

Eric hadn't suspected that Mara would come to Georgia and find someone and that person was the last man Eric would have thought of as being her type. The man was a stereotypical red neck who had batted her hand away when she'd tried to touch him with affection. Mara had just smiled indulgently and when she walked away the man had love in his eyes. He looked at Mara the same way Eric had.

...

Mara was glad when the other soldiers had set themselves up outside. They were grating at the best of times and, after the evening they had, they didn't need outsiders disturbing the balance they'd established in the prison.

Mara ran a hand through her hair, unaware that she left blood in the brown strands as a result. She didn't want to over think the fact she considered fellow Australian soldiers as 'outsiders'. If had been another team other than Cheiny's maybe it would have been better.

Nathan had accepted their offer to guard while the others got some sleep and, to some extent, they trusted them to keep them safe but Cheiny was bound to be trouble.

Nathan had given them all dark looks, articulately telling them that even though it was dawn there was more discussion to be had once they were back inside and had some privacy.

Mara had passed Merle on the way back inside and he had given her a sideways smirk that said he knew she'd mess up when it came to his brother. Mara couldn't muster up the energy to explain that she had no control over what Eric did. She was still surprised that he was here.

Eric wasn't suited to war; he was a relaxed person who struggled to give situations the gravity they deserved. That said, anyone with medical experience and a stocked first aid kit could only be a boon to the group. She wouldn't be explaining that one to Daryl any time soon though. Daryl's insecurities were going to be driven to the forefront in the instance.

Mara couldn't be too annoyed with Merle. He'd just fought by her side, coming between her and death on a number of occasions. Merle might enjoy trouble but not enough to let her get killed, which was comforting. Still, she wasn't pleased to see the Dixon brothers standing shoulder to shoulder right now. Mara wanted to get Daryl by himself so she could at least start the process of explaining.

By some unspoken agreement, everyone gathered in the common area. Exhaustion and fatigue were obvious on everyone's face but this was too important to delay.

"Can we trust them?" Rick asked Nathan. There was no time to mix words. People needed sleep more than diplomacy.

"To an extent," Nathan offered unhappily. Mara knew the feeling. The trust they instilled in them was more due to the uniform they wore than any kind of personality traits.

"They won't slit our throats in our sleep if that's what you're wondering," Yussuf said with a yawn. With Cheiny out of sight, Yussuf had relaxed a little.

"Reassuring," Maggie said in a tone that indicated it was anything but.

Rick hadn't taken his eyes off Nathan.

Nathan sighed. "Cheiny is the worst but he's a commanding personality and the others will likely follow his lead."

"Who are the others?" Hershel asked. "If we have to share a living space with them shouldn't we at least know their names?"

Nathan actually looked a little blank and Mara had to confess she was hard pressed to remember the names of Cheiny's men. Yussuf mostly refereed to them as 'the goons.' Christine refereed to them as something Mara wouldn't say in front of Carl and Judith.

"Richard, Paul, Frank and David," Elias ended up answering, checking names against his fingers. There was a faint reddish tinge to the bandage on his forehead now and Mara realised how badly he'd been injured. She was glad that he seemed lucid.

"Don't forget Eric," Yussuf added, trying not to look at Mara as he said it. Perhaps because he thought if he didn't look at her then she wouldn't see the first hints of a grin. But Mara knew Yussuf too well and already suspected that while he was displeased with the current turn of events, he would still get a little mischievous pleasure out of her predicament.

Nathan shot Mara a full on look as if something had changed in the last ten minutes and she might suddenly have answers about why Eric was there.

Mara shrugged, "Don't look at me." She tried not to sound too defensive but she wanted to make it clear that she had no allegiance to Eric. She heard Daryl mutter under his breath but couldn't hear the specifics. It was probably a good thing too judging by the dirty look that Carol shot him. She was holding Judith and clearly didn't think Daryl's language was anything fit for a baby to hear.

"We have to decide what to do about the Governor!" Glenn said darkly. "I think that's more important than these soldier's names and whether we can trust them."

"Don't under estimate the enemy livin' in your home, boy," Merle countered sardonically.

Glenn visibly tensed at being addressed directly by Merle and being called 'boy' but he didn't retaliate, which was progress.

"The Governor is the more pressing problem," Rick agreed.

"Maybe we can discuss this after some sleep," Hershel suggested, laying a hand on Rick's shoulder. "None of them look up to crafting a strategic strike."

Rick glanced around the group and saw that Hershel was right. Andrea was leaning against the wall, obviously too tired to support her own weight. Even Michonne was watching the conversation through slitted eyes.

Rick nodded. "Grab a couple of hours sleep everybody. Eat something too. I wanna go after him tomorrow."

Andrea looked at the ground as Rick spoke but didn't offer an argument.

"You think he's still close?" Christine asked.

"I know it," Rick said. "I can feel it." Nobody questioned how Rick could feel it.

Now dismissed, Mara only wanted to get the blood off her. That's all she could think about and so, joined by Christine and Maggie, she ducked down to the shower block and had a shower so quick it defied belief. Back home her father had always complained about how long she'd spend in the shower. He wouldn't know her now.

When she was done, Mara didn't even bother going to her cell. She went straight to Daryl's. He was sitting on the bed with a wet rag in his hand. He had been wiping the blood off his own arms. His skin was clean now but he still sat there, absently staring in front of him with a slight frown on his face.

Standing there now, Mara couldn't find words. She was just too tired to navigate the minefield of Daryl's emotional trauma and mistrust.

He seemed to be waiting for her to say something but he wasn't breaking the silence either. Mara neatly moved around him so that she could slide into the cell bed. There were some days when she thought these tiny prison cots were designed to torture people. Other days, like today, she thought it was the most comfortable thing in the entire world.

She stretched out under the covers, already feeling the ache in her muscles set in. It would be worse in a few hours but at least she was alive.

Daryl watched her for a bit and then, after a moment of hesitation, got in beside her. The beds were so narrow that even if they had wanted to put space between them, it was physically impossible. Mara didn't want even a centimetre between them.

She was glad he got in with her instead of walking out of the cell. Back when she'd first known him, when he barely trusted her, he probably would have left just to protect himself.

Mara curled herself around his warm body, glad that he'd taken his shirt off so she could feel his skin against hers. She exhaled and a tension she didn't even know she had been holding left her body. Being in Daryl's arms felt right and seeing Eric again hadn't changed that at all.

Mara shifted so his heart was right under her ear. The steady beat of it was soothing and she shut her eyes so she could focus on it. Daryl had wrapped his arms around her, fingers almost digging into her bicep he was holding her so close.

Mara understood that, more than anything, Daryl was struck by how close he had come to losing her today. He couldn't put it into words, that just wasn't Daryl's style, but he could show her with his body. And so Mara responded in kind. She shifted slightly so she could press a kiss to the spot where his heart beat.

Who needed words?

**AN: I'm pretty tired right this second so please excuse and grammatical errors lurking in there. I have this idea of who Eric is in my head and I'm trying to give him life on the page. He's a bump in the road so to speak but not a one dimensional villain either. Please review, kind people. It makes my soul sing. **


	27. Chapter 27

Mara murmured against him and Daryl tilted his head so he could see her face better. She was still asleep. He'd been awake for a while but he hadn't gotten out of bed. He couldn't hear anyone moving around and he didn't want to leave Mara just yet.

When Daryl heard soft voices, he decided that he'd been lying there doing nothing long enough. He gently eased out from under Mara. She had taken the brunt of the battle with Christine and Merle so she needed more sleep. He could see bruises on her legs now and knew from experience that she'd be aching and stiff when she woke up. He dressed quietly and Mara didn't even stir.

Once he was out of his little cell, he could hear voices more clearly now. It was Carl and another adult who he didn't recognise. He quickly patted his hip to check that his knife was still attached to the belt before padding down the stairs.

Hershel was just coming out of his own little cell when Daryl made it to the bottom of the stairs. He hadn't bothered to put on shoes and the concrete was cool beneath his feet.

Daryl managed to catch the end of the conversation.

"I understand you can't let me in but can you go wake up one of the grownups?" the man requested evenly. His hands were by his side and he didn't appear to have a weapon.

"What's going on here?" Daryl asked roughly, putting himself beside Carl. They had locked their block from the inside so that they were protected in case the Australian soldiers weren't as noble as they appeared.

Daryl's arrival caused the man's body language to shift. He hadn't seen Carl as a threat and had talked to him like he was a child and not dangerous. That was his first mistake. Carl was just as likely to put a bullet in his gut as Daryl was. But Daryl made him change. He crossed his arms and lifted his chin in a typically alpha male pose. Daryl was unimpressed.

"Sarge wants to speak to Nathan or Rick."

Daryl noticed the absence of Nathan's title and wondered if that was deliberate or subconscious.

"What's your name, son?" Hershel asked politely, probably trying to defuse the immediate tension.

"Corporal- It's Paul. Call me Paul," the man said changing tracks midway. He looked uncomfortable with the rank and clearly preferred to be on a first name basis. It made Daryl like him better but not enough. It did however make him think that his leaving off Nathan's rank hadn't been disrespectful at all.

"Carl, can you find Nathan or Rick for Paul?" Hershel asked. Carl cut his eyes from Paul to Hershel to Daryl. Daryl noticed his gaze drifted to the knife on Daryl's belt before he nodded and drifted off into the cell block. He pressed the key into Daryl's hand as he went.

Daryl unlocked the door and exited the sleeping zone. His actions pushed Paul back out into the common area. Hershel followed and took a seat with a groan. Paul's was discreetly taking in Hershel's injury but Hershel still noticed the stare.

"It wasn't a shark," Hershel said mildly.

Paul actually cracked an honest to god smile at that joke. Even Daryl wryly grinned, remembering the Australian's lamenting one evening how all foreigners thought they had to fend off sharks every time they got in the water.

"Did it happen before?"

"No," Hershel said simply.

Paul winced and the conversation trailed off. Paul took a seat and folded his hands neatly in his lap. He seemed content to just sit there.

Daryl studied the man. He was maybe mid twenties and was calm. Yussuf would have been telling knock knock jokes at this point. Every member of Cheiny's team was Caucasian. It was going to make telling them apart a pain in the ass.

Paul had traded in his military jacket for a short sleeve t-shirt. Every time he moved, he showed off some pretty good muscle definition and a tattoo on one of his biceps.

"What's the tat?" Daryl asked, filling the silence.

"Is it my name in a heart?" Yussuf asked, stepping into the room.

Paul's expression changed from neutral to disdain but he didn't say anything because Nathan and Rick followed.

"Sergeant," he said by way of greeting. The contempt almost vanished. So it was Yussuf that personally annoyed the new corporal, not his race. Daryl could almost understand how Yussuf might be a little hard to take.

"Corporal," Nathan nodded.

"You wanted to see us?" Rick said, cutting to the heart of the matter.

"Sergeant Cheiny requests a meeting so that a plan can be decided on."

"That's sensible," Nathan said. "Tell him to come inside when he's ready."

"We'll get someone to guard while we talk," Rick added.

"I'll pass that along," Paul said and moved to leave. As he passed Yussuf he added, "It's a heart but it's got your mum's name."

Daryl bit his lip to hide his smile.

"Y'know, I very nearly like that one," Yussuf commented, jabbing a finger in Paul's direction.

"You very nearly like everyone," Daryl pointed out with a grumble.

"Don't be like jealous," Yussuf said, "You know you're my favourite brooding man." Yussuf patted Daryl's cheek and Daryl immediately batted his hand away.

"You trying to steal my boyfriend, Yussuf?" Mara asked sleepily, finally appearing. She hadn't gone far in the waking up process beyond putting on pants.

"Only if he's keen," Yussuf threw back with a wink.

"I always wondered 'bout him," Merle contributed in a raspy voice from just behind Mara.

Daryl rolled his eyes at the banter. Nothing like teasing to unite a group.

...

Mara moved to Daryl's side, affectionately running her hand up his arm. What she really wanted to do was to press a deep kiss to his lips but that would be slightly unprofessional and Daryl would just be made uncomfortable by the gesture. Her muscles were cramped and achy. She had seen the array of bruises that decorated her body and tried not to grimace. The cell block filled up with the rest of the residents.

"We need two people to be on guard," Rick said.

"I'll go," Christine offered. "I've already heard Cheiny talk enough shit to last a lifetime."

"I'll go with her," Beth piped up. This earned a few surprised looks as Beth's duties mostly consisted of baby minding. Andrea had opened her mouth to offer as well but she closed it with a snap. Mara suspected she didn't want to participate in helping track down the Governor but her and Merle had the greatest insight into his character.

Rick shot a discrete look at Hershel who gave a tiny nod of consent.

"Do you know how to use a weapon?" Nathan asked, managing to make the question inoffensive.

"I know how to handle a gun," Beth said confidently.

Once the two women had left Merle shook his head. "Guarded by infants now."

"She's eighteen," Yussuf pointed out, unexpectedly coming to Beth's defence. "Carl's been doing as much and he's a-"

Mara knew Yussuf had been about to call Carl a kid but the youth's steely gaze stopped him.

"A very capable young man," Nathan said, smoothing over the situation easily. Carl looked pacified but still shot one last glare at Yussuf who spread his hands wide in surrender.

Any further debate was cut off by the arrival of the other soldiers. Cheiny came in first. He was always was the first of his team. Mara would concede that Cheiny would never let someone proceed him into danger. It was brave but it was sometimes stupid. The team needed a leader more than they needed a hero.

They had weapons and Mara saw a preference towards swords. Only David had a bow though it was neatly strapped to his back at this point. It wasn't a very effective weapon in close quarters but the two long knives on either of his hips would make up for it. He was the shortest of all the men but still tall. Cheiny's team struck an imposing picture.

Paul looked the most at ease. His hand was the only one not hovering near the hilt of a weapon. Mara could tell they were trying to present a non-threatening image but they were failing. Even Eric looked on edge though Mara didn't have a clear view of him. Since he was the medic, he was right at the back, protected.

Frank had used his considerable height to shield Eric from the rest of the group. He wasn't quite as tall as Elias but he was close. He was also the youngest, about Mara's age. Last time she had seen him, he had been a tall, lanky thing but he'd gone to some effort to line his frame with lean muscles. He wouldn't be as strong as David or Paul but Mara bet he was faster than all of them. He looked tired and his short blond hair was ruffled like he'd raked his hand through it a number of times, probably as a nervous gesture.

Richard was the last member of their group of six and the most similar to Cheiny in behaviour. The others were happy to laugh at Cheiny's taunts but Richard usually had a few of his own to throw in. Mara didn't think he was a racist like Cheiny but he definitely liked to make himself feel superior through bullying. Nathan's rag tag team of misfits and strugglers had been a natural target.

They had retaliated by casually calling him Dick every opportunity they got. It had driven him mad. Mara could see that Yussuf was itching to do so now but so far both sides had been very well behaved and Yussuf didn't want to be the one to break the civility.

Mara was certain it couldn't last. This gathering was a time bomb waiting to happen. Too many people, too many opinions, too many strong personalities. Someone would mistake Rick's courtesy for weakness, which would put the prison survivors on edge. Mara just hoped none of them picked a fight with Merle. That would be like throwing a Molotov cocktail on kindling.

Daryl would keep a hold on his temper as long as he didn't personally feel attacked or the new soldiers didn't say anything stupid. Eric being tucked up at the back couldn't hurt the situation. She still couldn't fathom what he was doing there. Sure, logically she knew why the man with the medical training was travelling. But Eric as a person?

She could already feel his eyes on her and she knew eventually they'd have to have a conversation that would most likely be painfully awkward. His appearance caused small butterflies in her stomach which she attributed to nerves. Mara still thought he was a handsome man but she didn't feel drawn to him anymore.

"Thank you for having us," Cheiny began with almost forced formality. Maybe HR had dragged him over hot coals for his political incorrectness before they had set him loose in the world. Probably far-fetched since a human resources department had never been confirmed as existing. Nathan had navigated most internal arguments by telling them to pull their heads out of their arses. The army hadn't had a lot of time for finesse.

"My pleasure," Rick said politely. They had decided that Rick could speak as their unofficial leader. Nathan was confident enough in his own position that he could admit dealing with another white man might bring out Cheiny's better side. Nathan was clearly hoping that being out in the field would make them all consummate professionals. Mara darted a glance at Yussuf and thought this might be wishful thinking.

"What are you doing in Georgia?" Glenn asked. "We understood there were only enough people to send one team to every state."

Cheiny turned to Glenn and his composure didn't change. "We were sent to Illinois," Cheiny answered.

"That's a way aways," Hershel commented.

"There weren't a lot of survivors," Frank said. Carol made a pained sound, clutching Judith to her a little tighter. Cheiny silenced the other man with a look.

"He's not wrong," Cheiny admitted. "The density of survivors in the United States is lower than we expected. It's led us to believe the outbreak started here."

Everyone hung on his every word. This was the most information they had gotten about the rest of the country for a long time.

"We set up a commune in Tennessee and we're trying to evac other people there. There are a number of teams protecting it while we search neighbouring states. There are more spooks in some states than others."

"What's the situation like?" Rick asked.

Cheiny glanced at Nathan but then looked back to Rick. "It's bad. We've come across a number of situations where the recon teams have hooked up with bands of survivors. Similar to what you have organised here. There have been a number of causalities within the army too."

Mara's chest felt tight and she wanted to ask for names. But she didn't because she was too scared she would recognise them.

"What killed the recon teams?" Maggie asked suspiciously, picking up on something in their tone.

"It wasn't always the dead, if that's what you're asking," Richard answered. The rest of the team winced collectively. Mara decided she might have found the cause behind their better attitude. They'd seen enough horrors since coming here that petty disputes no longer mattered.

"So you're peace keeping?" Andrea said. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed and she was regarding these new men warily.

"We're just trying to help out where we can," Paul offered. "Trying to restore a little order."

"What do they say about the road to hell and good intentions?" Andrea countered.

"Whatever road we're on is gonna be bumpy as fuck," Merle muttered quietly but not quietly enough that nobody heard.

Mara didn't put a lot of stock in what Merle said usually but she had to agree with him in this instance.

**AN: I expected to cover more ground in this chapter but it turned out character introductions took up the bulk of it. I'm not trying to provide novel sized back grounds for these new characters but make them a little more distinctive for readers. Otherwise I may as well have named them Cheiny, Eric & Soldier A, B, C & D. Thanks for all the lovely reviews from last chapter. You don't know how happy it makes me. **


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